


Stay, I Pray You

by sxrensxng



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Anastasia (1997 & Broadway) Fusion, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Awkward Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, Claude and Co. Appear Later, Dimitri is mildly angsty but not as much as timeskip Dimitri normally is, F!Byleth, F/M, Female My Unit | Byleth, Ingrid and Sylvain are Platonic Buddies, Minor Caspar von Bergliez/Bernadetta von Varley, Post-Timeskip | War Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Sylvain and Byleth Are A Chaotic Duo, Sylvain and Byleth Are Platonic Buddies, Violence, War, Young Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert, Young Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, Young Felix Hugo Fraldarius, they're in here I promise
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:41:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 27,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26516128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sxrensxng/pseuds/sxrensxng
Summary: The cannonballs tore through the stained glass of the castle, halting the party inside to a stop.They storm the extravagant palace, striking down anyone in their paths.The boy falls to the floor and clutches his eye as another wave of inferno courses through the room.Word has it that the royal family has uttered their last breath.***After the assassination of the Blaiddyd family, Imperial Princess Edelgard Von Hresvelg has seized Faerghus as her own. She promises the people of Faerghus a new life, but it seems that not much has changed.Con-artists Byleth Eisner and Sylvain Gautier are looking for a one-way ticket out of Faerghus, and what a better way than to pull off the con of the century?Dimitri doesn't know where he came from, he just wants away from his wretched life on the city streets. An opportunity for escape presents itself, but Dimitri doesn't know if he has it in him to pretend to be the missing crown prince Alexandre Blaiddyd.[Fire Emblem: Three Houses Anastasia AU]
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/My Unit | Byleth, Ingrid Brandl Galatea & Sylvain Jose Gautier, Sylvain Jose Gautier & My Unit | Byleth, Sylvain Jose Gautier/Mercedes von Martritz
Comments: 34
Kudos: 125





	1. Prologue - "Last Dance of The Blaiddyds"

**Author's Note:**

  * For [E_J_Hawthorne](https://archiveofourown.org/users/E_J_Hawthorne/gifts).



_**"Last Dance of The Blaiddyds"** _

"Prince Alexandre, wait up!"

"I told you already, Ashe! We're friends now, you don't have to call me Prince anymore."

"Right! Sorry, Prince Ale— Sorry, Alexandre."

The two little boys pattered down the big corridor, like bulls in a china shop. The taller of the two was leading, he clearly knew his way around the palace halls.

"Where do you think Felix went?" Ashe asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I'm not sure." Alexandre slowed his pace for Ashe to catch up, the latter's legs being shorter. "He doesn't really like parties that much."

"Me either. I like the music, but the noise scares me a lot." Ashe admitted. His words were rather eloquent for that of an eleven-year-old, but for that matter, both the boys were more distinguished than most. "I like getting to play with you and Felix, though."

"If I were Felix, where would I hide?" Alexandre tapped his chin as he looked around the large corridor. Music from the ballroom leaked out of the corridor, but not a single guest from the party was in sight. Felix would've gone somewhere where he wouldn't be detected. In fact, there weren't even any guards in this corridor to stare blankly at the boys as they played.

Both Alexandre and Ashe found it odd that they weren't accompanied by any of the castle soldiers. Every time they played before the boys were almost always watched by someone. Alexandre supposed that they must be watching the party closely, just to make sure that everyone was getting along. This hallway wasn't too important in his mind, it didn't even have a door to the outside like most of the others did.

That made this a perfect spot for Felix. No eyes to see where he went, and no mouths to tell the other two boys where he had hidden.

Alexandre made his way down the hallway, a hesitant Ashe behind him.

"You check those columns, and I'll get these!" Ashe gave Alexandre a nod and took off to the right hemisphere of the hall. He poked his tiny head of grey hair around each pillar, checking for any sign of Felix.

Alexandre did the same on the left. It wouldn't have been unexpected for Felix to hide behind the columns, he had done it many times before. Although, Alexandre was sure that Felix would be tired of using the same pillars as cover for the fourth time. He might've been in an entirely different room altogether, but Ashe had sworn he'd seen Felix dart off in this direction. Maybe he'd already made his way to the kitchens, like he'd sworn he would earlier that night, even though his father ordered him to stay in the vicinity of the ballroom.

The boys wanted little to do with the party that was going on in the room next door. It was Alexandre's mother's birthday, and lots of nobles had been invited over to celebrate. As Ashe had claimed, the party was loud. It was filled to the brim with loud adults, intoxicated from too much drink. Felix never liked to be around his father at parties, and especially not now since his older brother Glenn had left the boy's games to join the adults talking battle. Parties were second nature to young Prince Alexandre, although he'd much rather play knights with Ashe and Felix.

" _Got you!"_

Ashe let out a shriek as the unmistakable voice of Felix emerged from behind him. He must've been hiding behind one of the many pillars they had already passed by. Alexandre ran over quickly, especially now that he saw Ashe's eyes had begun to water. Ashe tended to get scared easily, Alexandre noted.

"Felix was just playing!" He placed his hand on Ashe's shoulder, before suggesting something that never failed to make the younger boy happier. "Do you want to play knights now?"

Ashe immediately perked up at the mention of his favorite game to play. Felix scoffed.

" _Again_? We played knights last week!" Felix complained. He never was excited to play knights, which the other two thought odd since Felix always carried his wooden sword with him wherever he went.

"You picked hide and seek, it's Ashe's turn to pick the game!" Alexandre rebutted, his hand never leaving Ashe's shoulder.

Felix relented and Ashe threw the boys into his game of knights. This time Felix was the Dragon Knight, and Alexandre was his squire. Ashe played the Dragon himself, but also doubled as every other knight in the Dragon Knight's army. He always did come up with the most unique stories to go along with their simple game of war.

"The Dragon King wants the Dragon's head on his wall!" Felix shouted, his wooden sword raised far above his head. Alexandre followed behind him as his squire, although he lacked a sword of his own, so he mimed one in the air.

"It's the Dragon _Knight_ , not the Dragon _King_ , Felix." Ashe spoke over his shoulder as he ran down another corridor. "And he doesn't want to _kill_ the dragon, he just wants his knowledge so he can become an even better Dragon Knight!"

"All the same to the Dragon King!" Felix shouted, gaining speed on the smaller boy.

Ashe ducked into a room on the side and Felix grinned. He knew he had him trapped now. He and Alexandre were gaining on "the Dragon".

Ashe however had stopped not far from the entrance of the room, halted in his footsteps.

"Why'd you stop running? Did you give up?" Felix asked, but Ashe gave no answer. Alexandre grew closer to Ashe to see if there was an issue, but he soon saw what fascinated Ashe.

Ashe has been staring fascinatingly at a large spear in the middle of the room, encased in glass. Alexandre could see why. The entire thing was unearthly. Not only was it massive, but it seemed _alive._ In fact, it seemed to be made of bone.

Alexandre swallowed at the sight of it. Even Felix had fallen silent, and let his wooden sword-wielding hand drop to his side. Ashe hasn't moved a hair from where the other boys first found him.

"What are you boys up to?"

All three jumped out of their skins at the sounds of Felix's father, Rodrigue's, voice. Felix immediately burned holes into the floor with his stare as he hid his wooden sword behind his back. Ashe whimpered, no doubt afraid he would get in trouble for what they'd found. Alexandre started up at the man blankly. He didn't think he could be afraid of his Uncle Rodrigue, even if he tried.

"Uncle Rodrigue, what is this?" Alexandre didn't hesitate to ask the question that all the boys were wondering.

Rodrigue laughed, before squatting down so he was eye level with the boys.

"This is Areadbhar."

"Ah-red-var." Ashe sounded out.

"Aread-what?"

Rodrigue looked at his own son and laughed. " _Areadbhar._ "

"It's the relic of the Blaiddyd family. Alexandre's father wielded it, as did his father. One day Alexandre will wield it as well, as long as the time calls for it."

Alexandre remained silent, only studying the relic further. Areadbhar was scary. Alexandre wasn't so sure he wanted to wield it. It seemed to stare back at him, even though it was just an inanimate object.

"Well, someday I'll have to tell you three stories about it, but we have to head out now." You could visibly see Felix deflate at the notion, "And Ashe, Lord Lonato was looking for you as well. I suggest we all get a move on before it gets too late."

The boys nodded, albeit begrudgingly. Rodrigue turned to leave the room. Felix trailed behind him, his own wooden-sword dragging the ground. Ashe gave a small wave to Alexandre and then rushed off after the others.

Alexandre sighed. Something felt _off_. Maybe it was the fact that his friends had to leave on such short notice, he never liked it when that happened. Maybe it was Areadbhar itself, seeing one Alexandre's soul. He wouldn't have been surprised if it actually did possess such a power, but the thought gave him even more chills.

The twelve-year-old boy leaned up against the glass that protected the relic. His fingerprints no doubt made several smudges all along the surface, but he paid them no mind. He began to study every groove and curve on the lance's surface. Its blade was wider than any lance Alexandre had ever seen, and it curved at the end too. It just _looked_ heavy. How had his father carried it into battle all those years ago?

Alexandre's analysis was interrupted by the shaking of the walls. Picture frames could be heard trembling against the surfaces, and Alexandre even accidentally slammed his face into the glass that encased Areadbhar. He left the room quickly and stuck his head out into the hallway.

"Ashe? Felix! Uncle Rodrigue?" No one answered.

Alexandre looked back the way that they had come when they were playing Dragon Knight. The little boy tip-toed his way back towards the corridor where they had found Felix. The air in the hallway was still, and there wasn't any delightful playtime chatter like there had been before. Earlier he was glad that all the guards were busy attending to the party instead of the hallway, but now he wanted nothing more than for them to return. 

In fact, the noise was getting louder the closer he got to the ballroom. He prayed to Sothis that he would find his parents, or least Uncle Rodrigue or Ashe. 

Alexandre felt another shudder through the walls of the castle. The noise that accompanied it was the loudest sound that Alexandre had ever heard. So loud, that the boy clapped his hands over his ears. He inched a bit further forward and put his eye up to the crack in between the doors. He'd done this before in the kitchens when he didn't want the maids to see him as he accessed what was for dinner. It had never failed him before.

He pressed his right eye against the mahogany door, and closed his left. It was brighter than he originally remembered the ballroom being earlier that night. Like every party guest had lit thirty candles each. He allowed his eye to focus and he soon realized that these were not candles.

The entire ballroom was engulfed in orange flames. It wasn't long before the walls shuddered again, but this time Alexandre could see that the shuddering was caused by cannonballs tearing through the brick walls. The little boy didn't want to see anymore, yet he couldn't bring himself to look away.

His eye darted around the ballroom for his mother, or his father, for anyone at all. Alexandre would've run into the arms of a castle guard at that moment.

Another round of flames erupted, this time very close to the door. Alexandre stumbled back and clutched his right eye. The boy began to run away from the door, sobbing as he did so. He had felt pain before, sure. He'd fallen many times in the castle, but this was more than a scraped knee. The longer it had been since the fire, the more the pain grew. The boy shrieked as he ran back towards the room where Areadbhar had been.

Alexandre could barely see. Half of his vision was stolen completely and replaced with immeasurable pain, while the other half was clouded with tears. He couldn't see or think straight. He stumbled around the halls, one hand on the wall, feeling for a door. His small lungs burned with smoke and exhaustion.

Alexandre heard one last boom from the ballroom before his foot got hung on the green carpet of the hallway. The boy stumbled once more and felt his skull collide with the stone wall in front of him that he couldn't see. The Kingdom's Prince fell to the floor immediately, his head hitting the floor with force that rivaled that of the cannons from the ballroom.

One last tear dripped down Prince Alexandre Blaiddyd's face as he lost all consciousness.


	2. "Rumor In Fhirdiad"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Con-artists Sylvain Jose Gautier and Byleth Eisner are currently living on the streets of Fhirdiad in a newly conquered Faerghus. They're constantly looking for an escape from poverty, so when the opportunity of a lifetime presents itself, they take it.

The chilly air bit at the clientele of the hidden street market. Large quantities of people paced back and forth between the stalls, eyes peeled for some kind of deal. The market itself was disheveled, although that wasn’t entirely out of the question for several shady businesses selling illegal merchandise away from peering eyes. 

A young pair of market-goers perused the back alley streets like they did every Saturday morning. The man with red hair stood a little too proudly for someone who had been wearing the same clothes for the past few days, his hands anchored behind his neck as he strolled. His shorter and teal-haired companion however had her gaze fastened on a small banknote in her hand. 

“Oh, I remember! The parties, the dancing, _the women_.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Don’t even get me started on the food. Feasts fit for kings--obviously they were, they were made for nobles! I haven’t smelt anything that good in years, especially the lamb. Goddess, Byleth, the lamb--”

“Uh-huh.”

“Are you even listening?”

“Uh-huh.” Byleth nodded, although her gaze was focused on the market stalls that decorated the streets. Her red-haired companion shoved his hands into his pockets and gave out a huff.

“Don’t even try to pretend that you were listening, because I know you weren’t. You know what? You’re not my friend anymore.” 

“Will you forgive me if I buy you lunch, Sylvain?”

“Have I ever told you that you’re my best friend?”

“Many times actually.”

Sylvain hummed in response before quickening his pace to keep up with Byleth. For being far shorter than him, she was always one step ahead. The usual market-goers had affectionately nicknamed her “The Ashen Demon”, which Sylvain found to be an amusing alternative for his five-foot-four friend’s name. Sure, Byleth was small, but there was a certain uneasy level of emptiness behind her eyes. That was no doubt where the nickname came from originally, anyway.

Sylvain might’ve called Byleth his best friend, but in reality, the two had only been acquainted for a few short months. Who knew a bar fight could result in two opposite fates being intertwined?

Life had been difficult for many since the Adrestian Empire had taken control of Faerghus, especially those who lived in Fhirdiad. It had previously been the crown jewel of The Kingdom, but it was now called “New Enbarr” and it was nothing more than a ghost of its former self. The people were still starving and cold, a stark contrast to that of the original Enbarr, Adrestia’s capital. 

Emperor Edelgard had assured everyone that things were changing for the better ever since she had taken power. That the Kingdom’s people were no longer under the control of the “tyrants” that were Faerghus’ royal family, The Blaiddyds. Byleth herself disagreed. Sylvain recalled her saying something along the lines of “You can change the name, but that doesn’t make it any less of a crummy city.” 

“What’s for lunch anyway?” Sylvain asked as Byleth stopped at a stall on the side of the road. She began accessing the merchandise on the market table, although her hands remained by her side. Sylvain knew where this was going. She’d pulled this stunt about a thousand times. Byleth would wait for Sylvain to strike up conversation with the shopkeeper and then she’d allow her hands to flit across the table while they were occupied. 

Sylvain didn’t wait for Byleth to answer his question, instead, he strode up to the man behind the table.

“Excuse me, sir? Do you know where I can find some matches?”

The shopkeeper pulled his attention away from his wares on the table that he’d previously been polishing.

“I don’t sell that kind of stuff, but you might want to go see if Anna on the other blockade has any. She has all sorts of stuff.”

Sylvain nodded but kept going.

“I’ll have to check it out.” Sylvain leaned forward and pointed behind the man. “That coat right there, how much would you take for it?” The shopkeeper spun around to take the coat from where it was hanging. Sylvain glanced down at Byleth’s hands and barely caught her hand retreating back into her coat pocket. 

“I’d need at least fifty gold pieces for it. I know that’s a little steep for a used coat in these times, but a man has to feed his family.” The man had turned around with the coat in his arms ready for Sylvain to examine it, however, Sylvain already had a foot headed towards the main drag of the market.

“My apologies, sir. I just remembered that I left my wallet at home. Maybe some other time.”

He and Byleth quickly left the market stall, but not without hearing the annoyed mumblings of the shopkeeper. 

“Nice one, By’! I barely saw you myself. What’d you get?” 

Byleth didn’t give an answer, instead she hushed Sylvain. 

“What? He’s not going to hear us, and even if he did, I could take him--”

Byleth hushed Sylvain again, and shoved her thumb towards a few pedestrians off the main drag. Sylvain finally shut up and tried to tune his ears to the small group’s whispering. They themselves weren’t exactly what Sylvain would call suspicious, they looked exactly like every other citizen of Fhirdiad.

_“He’s paying for someone to bring forward the prince? Even with the Empire in charge?”_

_“What is Lord Fraldarius thinking? It’s been eleven years, there’s no way he’s out there!”_

_“I dunno, the reward seems enough for me. 110,000 gold pieces is enough for me to dress up like the prince myself.”_

Byleth and Sylvain both slowly turned their heads to face the other. One-hundred and ten _thousand_ gold pieces would be enough to live on for the rest of their lives. It would be enough to make sure that neither of them would have to resort to petty shop-lifting again either. Byleth grabbed Sylvain by his sleeve and pulled him off to the side.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“Find a fake Prince and get the reward? I do believe we’re on the same page.”

Byleth nodded. “We can find a prince later, but we need information _and_ something to prove to this _Lord Fraldarius_ that we have the real prince.” She let her hand rest on her chin as her brow furrowed. Sylvain could tell that there was no talking her out of this now. When Byleth set her mind to something, there really was no convincing her otherwise. 

“What can convince a Lord that we’ve found the long lost prince of Faerghus? Forged documents, maybe?” She prosed. 

Sylvain gave her a shrug. “If we’re being honest, most nobles have a brain the size of a walnut. It should be pretty easy to convince Lord Fraldarius if you ask me.”

“So you’ve met him?” 

“Huh?” 

“You’re talking like you’ve met the guy before.” Byleth said. “And with all your tales of the ‘old days’, I figured you might’ve seen him at least once.” Her cold eyes bore into Sylvain, and he felt as if she knew everything about him then and there. She always had this strange omniscient feel to her, even if her actions and words were quite the opposite. 

“Er--No.” Sylvain admitted. “Well, maybe? I have one memory of some Lord coming to visit my father, that could've been him.”

If Sylvain was being completely honest, he wasn’t even sure if the man that had visited was a Lord. Sylvain was fairly young at the time, so it wasn’t exactly easy to remember. He knew the man that day was important. All the maids of house Gautier had been gossiping about an “important guest” all week. Sylvain normally would’ve gotten a better look at the Lord being the curious child he was, but he was quickly distracted from the Lord as his older brother Miklan began looking for him around the house.

“Well, that doesn’t help us.” Byleth crossed her arms and glanced back into the market. “For now, keep your eyes peeled for any item that could pass as a legitimate Blaiddyd heirloom.”

Byleth quickly jumped back into the busy walkway of the marketplace, Sylvain rushing to follow her. Her eyes scanned back and forth between all of the stalls, looking for something that’d work as proof of their fake being “the real Prince”.

Sylvain wasn’t even sure what they were looking for. What did princes carry around to prove that they were princes? Large bags of gold? Maybe a coat of arms of some kind? 

“Genuine Blaiddyd here! Artifacts directly from the castle!”

Like an answer from the Goddess herself, a street vendor stood on a soapbox and proudly proclaimed his merchandise. He was waving around a piece of blue cloth, the color of the old Faerghus flag. Sylvain hadn’t seen a Faerghus flag in who-knows-how-long. Most people who got caught with any imagery of the old Kingdom got in trouble, the same kind of trouble that resulted in people never being seen again. 

This flag wasn’t explicitly that of Faerghus, but everyone in the alley knew that’s what the blue cloth was meant to represent. If any of the Imperial soldiers found the small black market now, the man with the blue cloth would’ve been the first to go.

Byleth and Sylvain steered towards the man and his merchandise. Most of the stuff he was selling was furniture, pieces that looked nice enough at first glance but if you studied it further it was obvious they were fakes. Besides, it wasn’t like the prince would flee the castle with his prized _chest of drawers_ during the raid that had supposedly taken his life eleven years ago. 

There was some jewelry that might’ve passed as well. However, they were all large and gaudy pieces that were too feminine and tchotchke-like to pass as something that the Kingdom Prince would wear. 

Sylvain was about to suggest that they look elsewhere when something caught his eye. It was propped against a tall dresser and hidden behind the ugliest armchair that Sylvain had ever seen. It was a weapon of some kind. He left Byleth’s side to examine it further. 

Upon further inspection, the weapon was a lance. At least Sylvain thought it was a lance based on its shape. It was an eyesore too. The entire thing looked to be made out of some kind of bone--whether it was human or beast was still up for debate. 

In fact, the closer Sylvain looked at it the more it looked like a weapon his father used to wield. Wield might’ve been a strong word, as it hung on the walls of Gautier Manor instead of actually being used. Sylvain might’ve wielded the Gautier’s Lance of Ruin himself later in life if he hadn’t run away when he did. Nevertheless, the similarities were startling. The bone-like texture was exactly the same as that of the lance that scared him from childhood. 

This lance was obviously a fake as it didn’t have the _alive_ quality that his father’s weapon possessed. It was stiff as a board, while the Lance of Ruin had breathed and ached just like a human.

“Young man, have your eye on something there?” The shopkeeper spoke up, breaking Sylvain out of his thoughts.

“Yes, actually. Could you tell me what this is?” Sylvain grabbed the lance and pulled it out from the pile of junk it had been nestled in previously.

“Ah, yes! That right there is Areadbhar, King Lambert’s legendary lance. It’s the relic of the Blaiddyd family.” 

A convincing copy of a legendary royal weapon would surely be enough to prove that their own prince was genuine to Lord Fraldarius. The lance was clearly a fake to anyone who had seen it before as it lacked the alive quality that the real relics possessed, but it was pretty convincing if Sylvain did say so himself. It was probable that most people would believe it was real. Sylvain was a lucky outlier, as he had seen what a relic really looked like.

“How much for it?” Sylvain asked.

“Eh-- maybe four-thousand gold pieces?” 

Sylvain waited for a punchline, but the man didn’t budge. Sylvain opened his mouth to bargain, but Byleth beat him to it.

“Do you expect us to pay four-thousand gold for something that isn’t even legitimate?” She countered.

The man stuttered as he tried to get out a response. “I assure you! It’s real!”

Byleth narrowed her eyes. “I’m assuming two-hundred gold pieces will be enough?” She already began to fish the money out of her pockets before the man answered her, but by the time she held the money out to the man, he was nodding feverishly. 

Without another word, Sylvain picked up “Areadbhar” and he and Byleth began their departure from the market.

“Just to be clear, you’re carrying the lance back to the house.”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way, By.”

“Now all that’s left is to find ourselves a Prince Alexandre.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. I always enjoy reading your thoughts and feedback, so don't be afraid to leave a comment. Thanks again! <3
> 
> For clarification: Sylvain and Byleth are just homies.


	3. “Fear's Guided Hand”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dimitri struggles to survive on the streets of Fhirdiad, constantly combatting his hunger and his mysterious fear of explosions.
> 
> Chapter Warnings: In this chapter, Dimitri experiences a bit of PTSD and what I would describe as a panic attack. It's nothing too in-depth or scary, but I thought I would mention it in case that kind of stuff bothers you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit shorter than the others because it was originally going to be one big chapter, but to keep it from being too long I split it into this chapter and the following chapter.
> 
> As always, comments and feedback are welcomed! I hope you all enjoy and have a lovely day! <3

The explosion scared Dimitri more than he would’ve liked to admit. He wasn’t exactly sure where it came from, but it sounded fairly close. Just close enough to be dangerous. 

However, it was just enough to actually  _ scare _ Dimitri. Enough to make his heart quicken its pace and his lungs begin to hyperventilate. Enough to make him clamp his hands over his ears and to make him start running. 

He didn’t even know what he was doing in the political district to begin with. This area of Fhirdiad was no friend to someone such as Dimitri. The mostly military occupied area of the freshly conquered city was the natural enemy to someone who lived on the streets with little to no money. Especially to someone like Dimitri, who naturally garnered attention.

As he fled the heavily occupied area outside of the new government building his hands flew from his ears to his bad eye. The one on his right that was scarred shut. The wound didn’t hurt anymore, but like everything else Dimitri did, the response was almost instinctual. 

Dimitri didn’t even know why he got like this. He just knew he hated it. At the most minor sound, he would jump and his heart would begin to gallop. The walls would feel like they were closing in, and his already limited vision would tunnel even further. 

It had always scared the other children at the orphanage where he was raised. He would constantly wake up in the night-- especially when there were storms--and scream frantically. At one point the orphanage staff had moved his bed to the attic where he slept by himself. Not to mention the other children had thought his eye was scary. He didn’t blame them. It was red and marred around where his once blue eye had been. Even Dimitri found it scary himself sometimes. 

Even as an adult he would still have these episodes. Episodes that prohibited him from thinking straight, and left one thing on his mind.  _ To get away _ . From what? He didn’t know, but he couldn’t ignore his gut. Especially not now when he was all by himself on the streets.

His eyes flicked around the streets, searching for the source of the explosion. He didn’t really  _ see  _ anything. A few soldiers were mingled about in their bronze armor, but they were all that he really saw. He wouldn’t deny that they also made him uneasy, but right now the explosion seemed to take more precedence. 

Dimitri’s feet began to take him somewhere else, just like how the rest of his body was acting on impulse. He felt as if his brain was made to short-circuit all by fear itself, the nasty beast having its evil hands wrapped around his lungs.

Dimitri knew he needed to stop and calm down, at least try to breathe, but the wave of anxiety was refusing to relent. 

His feet slapped against the paved, yet muddy, streets of Fhirdiad. He took one step after another and tried to focus his vision.

His chase was short-lived, however, as he crashed head-on into a woman who was standing in the middle of the streets.

Dimitri tried to stutter out an apology, but the words just didn’t seem to come easily. Instead, the woman slowly held out her hand to Dimitri.

“No worries, friend.” Her words were calm, and Dimitri couldn’t help but sense an air of kindness behind them.

“But the-- the cannon fire--” 

“Those days are gone, my friend! You might’ve mistaken some of the district’s magic practice for cannon fire. There’s nothing to be afraid of these days.” She urged. Her words were steady and calm, which prompted Dimitri to slow down himself.

Dimitri slowly allowed his hands to leave his eye and fall to his side. His vision began to clear, and his breathing finally slowed. Part of him thought it foolish, to let his guard down so quickly, but something about this woman felt familiar and safe.

He could see her clearly now. She was shorter than he was by a good bit, but that did not diminish the confident air that she carried with her. Her hair was practically white but it was elegantly tied back out of her face. Her outfit did not fit the landscape of the alleyway that they were currently standing in. She wore riding clothes, something far too cold for this time of year. All of the aforementioned articles of clothing were spotless, including her white riding pants which looked  _ particularly  _ expensive . 

“Might I ask your name?” She prompted.

“Dimitri.”

Dimitri bit his tongue as soon his name left his mouth. It was never a wise decision to give out your name to anyone on the streets of Fhirdiad, even if they appeared as kind as this woman did. It suddenly dawned on Dimitri that he was still very much in the political district, and this woman no doubt held some type of authority. How stupid could he be?

“I’m Edelgard. Can I do anything to help you? You seem a bit lost.” Edelgard offered a faint smile as she looked at Dimitri.

Dimitri shook his head quickly as he backed away from her.  _ Edelgard _ . Dimitri racked his brain for anyone important with that name. His quick review left him with little to no results, which wasn’t out of the blue as Dimitri had always had a horrible memory. 

What he did know, however, was that this woman had to be someone of power. Why else would she be so close to the government building by herself? And wearing such spotless clothing that only the upper class could afford? 

Dimitri knew that the Imperial political figures  _ did not  _ make friends with loiterers and vagrants just because they wanted to.

“No, I’m quite alright. In fact, I’m late for work.” He glanced behind him, making sure the alleyway was clear of any other passersby. “I must be on my way.”

Edelgard cocked her head to the side as Dimitri fled the alleyway as quickly as he came.

“Be safe, Dimitri!” She called out after him.

_ “How peculiar. . .”  _ Edelgard mumbled before turning on her heel and made her way to the back entrance of one of Fhirdiad’s many political buildings. 

It wouldn’t have been the first time that civilians ran away from her. More than a handful of Fhirdiad’s citizens went scattering like a hoard of roaches when they saw her in her Imperial regalia. Edelgard didn’t blame them. She too would run away if she was faced with the woman who currently had her iron grip on the nation’s capital. 

* * *

  
  


Dimitri found himself almost on the opposite side of Fhirdiad by noon. His legs had carried him faithfully away from Edelgard. He felt a little guilty for leaving her there after she’d been so kind, but he also couldn’t ignore his gut feeling that that woman was trouble. 

Dimitri hid in the biggest hidden black market that Fhirdiad had to offer. Not only would it be difficult for the Imperial soldiers to even find the market, but there would also be the issue of them tracking him down in this large of a crowd. 

He exhaled as he examined the makeshift bulletin board that stood up against a brick wall. Many notices and flyers were pinned up for all to see. Dimitri always checked for work here. It was mainly hit or miss. Some people turned him down because he “couldn’t do a good enough job with one eye”, which others only paid someone for one day before they ran out of work. 

_ Ten men needed to haul and defend cargo shipments from Fhirdiad to Galatea Territory.  _

That one would take too long. It would take days to get to Galatea Territory on foot. Not to mention, carrying mysterious  _ cargo  _ would certainly result in trouble.

_ Men needed to chop firewood.  _

Dimitri thought it looked promising, but upon further inspection, he noticed that he would not hire anyone who did not have a street address.

Dimitri was about to give up and call it a day when a larger flyer caught his eye.

_ Young men ages nineteen to twenty-six wanted for an acting job. No prior stage experience needed. Willing to pay a sizable amount.  _


	4. "In My Dreams"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dimitri encounters the infamous con-duo, Byleth Eisner and Sylvain Jose Gautier. The two promise him a way out of Fhirdiad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought I would mention that Dimitri is not as angry or upset as canon Dimitri is because he does not remember his past. As always, thank you so much for reading! Thoughts and feedback are welcomed in the comments! Hope you enjoy!

“Oh, Lord Rodrigue! Will thou not take pity upon me? It is I, Prince Alexandre Blaiddyd! I beg thee!” A young man read the words off of the paper in a rather over-dramatic manner. Although, much to Byleth’s chagrin, he had heavily altered the script she had given him. 

Sylvain tried to stifle his laugh, but ultimately failed. His feet were propped up on a wooden table, and he precariously balanced his chair on it’s back two feet. He was already rocking back and forth like a madman, so it was only natural that Byleth knocked his chair over with her foot. He tumbled backwards onto the ground, narrowly avoiding his head coming into contact with the floor.

As Sylvain glared daggers at her from the stone floor of the theatre, Byleth stood from her own chair. She gently took the paper from the young man’s hand before setting it back on the table.

“We’ll get back to you.” The young man’s shoulders visibly sagged, before he turned to make his exit. “Please send the next one in on your way out. Thank you.”

She sat back down in her own wooden chair, not giving Sylvain so much as a glance as he stood from the floor. He was still grumbling from when Byleth had knocked his chair over.

“You keep pulling stunts like that, and no one’s going to want to work with us.” He bent down to pick the chair back up, and after it had been returned to its original state, Sylvain took his seat again.

“What are you referring to? My pushing you out of your chair or my turning away another applicant?” Byleth took the stack of papers in her hands and clicked it against the table, lining up the edges in the process.

“I was talking about the chair, but we’re not going to have anyone else to work with if you keep turning them all away either!” Sylvain rubbed his sore elbow as he stared at Byleth.

“Don’t act like I’m being picky. Even you have to admit that we wouldn’t get a foot outside of Faerghus with someone like that as our prince.”

Sylvain had to admit that what she said held some truth. For the past three hours they’d received many applicants, none of which had been very good. They all spoke in the same monotone voice, and they didn’t feel any of what they were saying. Sylvain was no actor, but he by all means knew how to put on a convincing show, and he could tell that these young men did not.

Even if the applicant was a capable actor, they were frightened off by the aspect of leaving Faerghus when the borders were so controlled. Byleth and Sylvain didn’t blame them. Every day the security of the Northern country was getting tighter and tighter, and it seemed like the prospect of a lifetime of fortune wasn’t enough of a reward to risk it all for. 

Byleth leaned back in her own chair--making sure to keep all four of her chair legs on the ground--and wiped the palm of her hand down her face. 

“We only have so many days before the borders are closed for good.” She shifted her weight forward and rested her elbows on the rickety table. “Which means we need to get this right the first time, because we don’t know if we’ll have another chance.”

Sylvain nodded. He opened his mouth to affirm what Byleth had said, but the wooden door on the other side of the room opened up. The two con-artists whipped their heads to look at who entered, and Byleth’s hand instinctively went to rest on her dagger. 

Another young man--assumedly an applicant--entered the room. Byleth’s breath caught in her throat when she saw him, and she didn’t hear a word from Sylvain either. 

The young man had shaggy blond hair that hung in front of his face, obscuring most of his visage. It was hard to gauge exactly what he looked like, but one thing was quite easy to make out on the right side of his face. Where there should’ve been an ice blue eye to match the other one on the left side of his face, sat a large scar. He was also quite tall. Far taller than Byleth was.

However, Byleth wouldn’t exactly call him scary either. She had seen plenty of disfigured people before. After all they were in a country that had just been ravaged by war, it wasn’t exactly a rarity to see someone who didn’t look like you. 

Byleth settled on the term unearthly. There was something unearthly about his delicate face that had been marred by violence. 

He slowly closed the door behind him, but hesitated to move further into the room. Byleth didn’t say a word either. Sylvain took this as a sign to take charge of the situation.

He slowly stood up from his chair and motioned the newcomer into the room. Eventually the blond man had reached the center of the room, where he stood directly in front of the table. 

“I’m Sylvain, and this is Byleth.” The redhead waved towards where his companion sat. “What can we call you?”

“Dimitri.” 

Byleth scrawled down his name on a piece of paper before pausing and looking up at him through her lashes. “No last name?” She asked.

Dimitri shook his head. Sylvain gave out a pity laugh. 

“We get that it’s a dangerous time and all, but trust us. We’ll need your family name if we end up wanting to contact you about the job.” Sylvain attempted to make himself look as friendly as possible as the words left his mouth.

“I don’t have a family name.”

Sylvain blinked while Byleth cocked her head to the side. 

“Okay.” She inhaled and scratched through the column that had been where all the other applicants’ family names’ had been before. 

She set down the quill that she held in her hand before looking up at Dimitri again, this time with her full attention. 

“Can we look at your face?”

The pair behind the table could hear Dimitri intake a sharp breath.

“ _ Way to be subtle, By.” _ Sylvain mumbled as he elbowed his teal-hailed companion in her ribs.

“It’s just so we can see if your face matches the role that we’re trying to cast.” She stood and took a ribbon out of her own pocket. “Do you mind if I tie up your hair?”

Dimitri swallowed. If he wanted the part and thus the money, he would have to get used to people looking at his face. He gave a short nod. 

Byleth took it as a sign to move forward, while Sylvain sat uneasily on the edge of his seat. Byleth approached Dimitri before going to stand behind him.

“Can you crouch down a little bit?” 

Dimitri bent his knees slightly, so now Byleth could reach the top of his head. She collected the top half of his hair in her hands and combed it back with her fingers, before tying it off at the back of his head. A few shorter locks of hair fell forward and back onto his forehead, but nothing that obscured his face like before. Byleth took a step back towards the table to examine his face further. 

Dimitri definitely had the face to be a prince. Other than his scar, his face was rather symmetrical, and his eye was quite possibly the most beautiful shade of blue that Byleth had ever seen. It wasn’t like she would ever admit that though, especially not to Sylvain.

She glanced over at Sylvain to see the gears turning in his head. He nodded at her quickly before looking back at Dimitri.

“If you don’t mind me asking, how’d you get that scar? It’s not every day you see one like that.”

If Byleth had been sitting behind the table she surely would’ve kicked him in his shin for that question. 

Dimitri remained silent, although he was now looking at his shoes. The back room in the abandoned theatre was silent for what felt like forever. Sylvain glanced away from Dimitri and back at Byleth, wondering if she would be giving him an earful later for this. 

“I don’t know…” Dimitri muttered

“You don’t know?” Sylvain asked.

Byleth hushed Sylvain and turned back to look at Dimitri with patient eyes. Dimitri inhaled a breath quickly and then let it out slowly, his eyes never leaving his feet.

“I don’t remember the accident itself.” He started. “I don’t even remember when they found me.”

“According to the nurses who tended to me, a man chopping wood found me in the snow. I was apparently so deep under that the man had to dig me out with a shovel.”

Byleth’s brow furrowed.  _ Why was he telling them all this? _ This was all extremely personal. For a split second, Byleth considers that he really wants a job that badly. Sylvain’s previously humorous comments had ceased as he now focused on the story that Dimitri was telling.

“He brought me to a nearby church, one of the bigger ones where they have an infirmary. The nurses said I was unconscious for about a week before I woke up. They had tended to my wounds while I was asleep. One nurse told me how she’d never seen such a wound before.” Dimitri’s hand had subconsciously crept over his eye as he continued. Byleth retrieved her own wooden chair from behind the table and set it down in front of Dimitri. Although, he didn’t make any movements to sit down.

“I woke up eventually, although I didn’t remember a thing.” He paused. “I still don’t.”

Byleth found it odd that he didn’t remember anything at all. She could understand your head being foggy for a while after the accident, but most people would still have some form of recollection. Unless, the accident had been so horrific that it removed any memory of it from Dimitri’s mind. 

“The nurses gave me my name since I couldn’t remember my own. Once all my wounds had healed they moved me to the orphanage nearby. I lived there for a while. No one ever did come to claim me or tell me what had happened.” He had slowly taken a seat in the chair that Byleth had brought him. “I wish I could tell you where my scar came from, but I have no recollection of what happened. The only hint I have are my nightmares, although they are more trouble than they are worth.”

His hand left the side of his face at last, but he still seemed to be focused on something distant, as his eye looked vacantly at the floor. It was an odd story for sure. Waking up in the snow with no memory wasn’t a story you heard every day. A boy without a name or knowledge of where he came from was certainly an enigma.

“I don’t see faces but I hear people screaming. I always hear a young man telling me to meet him in Riegan Territory in The Alliance. I think that's why I want to go so dearly, because I might meet whoever I hear in my dreams.”

Dimitri no longer gazed at the floor in a trace. His stare was trained on Byleth with an eerie focus, such focus that Byleth had only ever seen before on sharpshooting archers.

“Once I was old enough, I started working. I’ve been working ever since, hoping to get enough money to afford the passage to Riegan Territory. It’s foolish I know, but it at least is a chance of a different life.”

The room stood silent, both of the con-artists’ eyes trained on Dimitri. Sylvain had not expected his entire life story when he asked about Dimitri’s star. He had maybe expected a story of a bar-fight or a story of how Dimitri bet his eye in a game of cards, most actors were funny like that. He had certainly not expected a tragic story of memory loss, especially not from someone who looked as  _ tough _ as Dimitri did.

“What do you do for work currently?” Byleth asked, breaking the silence. She didn’t really feel like sharing her feelings right now. Her empathy always seemed to betray her in moments when she needed it the least. Sylvain could already tell that she was itching to help Dimitri  _ somehow _ .

“Nothing permanent.” Dimitri admitted, “I do odd jobs here and there to make ends meet. That’s why I hoped to get this job here, so I can finally afford to leave Faerghus.”

Sylvain remembered when he was out on his own like that, before he met Byleth. It was a life he would never willingly return to. He may not have been thriving now, but he was satisfied, and that was enough. That experience alone, coupled with Dimitri’s story seemed to pull him in favor of having Dimitri as his Prince Alexandre.

“Even if I don’t get the role, I’d be interested in moving boxes and props if you would pay me.” Dimitri added. 

Byleth glanced over at Sylvain again. Their eyes silently communicated what they each thought.  _ We can’t turn him away after this, especially not when he wants the same thing we do.  _ The situation was too perfect to turn away. Three people who all wanted out of the wretched Northern country, and one of them who fit the description of the lost Prince Alexandre and certainly wouldn’t be missed.

“We may be able to help you Dimitri.” Byleth said, her arms crossed.

The blond young man looked up from his shoes and at the woman in front of him.

“You’d--?”

“I’m afraid it’s not exactly what you’re thinking, though.” Sylvain said as he stood and walked over to stand next to Byleth.

Dimitri furrowed his own brow as he studied the pair. 

“We don’t work for the theatre,” Sylvain began, watching the slight betrayal occur behind Dimitri’s blue eye. “But we do have a job opportunity for you.”

Byleth started speaking before Dimitri could run away or object. “Have you heard of the lost Prince Alexandre Blaiddyd?”

Dimitri gave a nod, although it was apparent that he was now hesitant to continue his conversation with Byleth and Sylvain..

“We want a one-way ticket out of Faerghus,  _ and  _ the reward from the Lord.” Sylvain added.

“We’ll need a fake Prince in order to pull it off, however. Which is where you come in.” Byleth uncrossed her arms and let them fall to the side. “You pretend to be Alexandre. In return, you get to leave Faerghus for good, and we’ll give you a third of the reward. The Lord has been in The Alliance ever since the Empire gained control of Fhirdiad. Even if he doesn’t believe us, we’re already out of this place.”

The room was silent again, and it appeared that Dimitri had begun to toss the idea around in his head. Sharing their plan like this before Dimitri had agreed was risky, but both Byleth and Sylvain felt as if he was trustworthy. There was something honest about Dimitri, even if neither of them could place their finger on what it was.

“Will you at least consider it?” Sylvain asked, his voice only a hair away from what sounded like pleading.

Dimitri stared at Sylvain and Byleth. It seemed as if everyone in the room was holding their breath, unsure of what Dimitri would say, even Dimitri himself.

He gave the pair a nod.

_ “I’ll do it.” _

  
  



	5. "The Rumors Never End"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lady Edelgard Von Hresvelg is dissatisfied with the work that her job offers, although some young men have a new report of conspiracy occurring within the streets.

Lady Edelgard Von Hresvelg was, to put it simply, tired of her job. The Imperial Princess had been placed in charge of New Enbarr, although most of the citizens here still called it Fhirdiad. The city itself wasn’t  _ terrible _ but it seemed as if most of its people refused to acknowledge the name change. 

In fact, most of the people of Faerghus seemed rather apathetic about their entire situation. It had been eleven years since the overturning of the government of Faerghus, and for such a recent event, it only seemed to be a distant memory in the minds of most of the people.

Edelgard had only been twelve at the time, nor was she present, but she remembers that day fondly. The look of joy on her father’s face as he finally left his conference table for the first time in a week was firmly imprinted in her mind. She had been to Faerghus many times as a child and it seemed like she would finally be able to return again.

It would be at least another eight years before Edelgard would return to Faerghus. Even then it was not for the reasons her twelve-year-old self had wanted to go for. There were no more hopes of sledding in the snowy Faerghus hills or dancing about the stony palace that she had only seen once. From the time Edelgard was twenty she was the acting leader of New Enbarr and all of its fellow Faerghus territories. 

After the condemnation of the royal family, the country was sent into an uproar. Chaos and anarchy plagued the streets as the people were left without anyone to lead them. A large majority of the nobles had fled once word of the royal family got out, and those that remained were too snuffed out by Imperial soldiers. It would take a few more years for the upheaval of the Faerghus people, only a few more years for them to adjust to the new order.

Once the people had dropped their panic and stopped resisting the Empire, it was time for new changes to be made. Edelgard became acting leader of the remains of Faerghus when she was twenty years old, her father still involved in the government of Adrestia. It had been three years since then, and Edelgard couldn’t help but be disappointed by how things were turning out.

All of the exciting work had been taken by her father and his soldiers. They were the ones to put down any flames of rebellion before Edelgard was allowed passage. All that was left now were people with no life behind their eyes and the daily trials of local government. Her first act as New Enbarr’s leader was to reorganize the city into new districts as well as expose the people to Adrestian culture. The streets of Fhirdiad were renovated and many statues that told stories of Adrestia’s heroes were erected across the city.

Although, after all of the changes that Edelgard had made, it seemed as if the people were still frightened by her mere presence. She had dropped her Imperial regalia and settled for something a bit more tame, hoping for the old citizens of Fhirdiad to be less frightened by the appearance of an Imperial royal. After that, she began to try to speak with them, but most of the women and children she met with would run off without a word.

In fact, this morning was one of the first times she was able to carry a full conversation with a citizen, although even the man in question seemed a little spooked. She could understand the young man’s fear, Fhirdiad had been plagued with bloodshed and violence before order was brought, no doubt Dimitri had suffered in some way. 

She couldn’t help but feel disappointed with herself this morning, allowing him to run off just like everyone else. He urged her that he had work, but she still felt as if it was her fault that he ran away, just like everyone else. 

Edelgard heaved a sign as she sat behind her desk, her outer coat hung on the back of her chair, and papers spread across the wooden surface. Some were assorted outdated battle plans, others were maps of possible new territory lines. She had so much to do, and it yet it all felt like nothing was being accomplished. Her head was rested in between her hands when a knock occurred on the door.

_ “Lady Edelgard.”  _

Edelgard glanced up to see her right-hand man and best friend, Hubert Von Vestra, opening the door. Hubert had been a friend since childhood, so it was only natural that he followed her to Faerghus. She quickly dropped her hands down to the table.

“Yes, Hubert?”

Hubert had his hands behind his back and the same blank expression as always, but Edelgard could spot a flickering of concern behind his eyes. The tall man gave an exhale before speaking.

“I apologize for interrupting, but there were some reports that might interest you.”

“Reports?” Edelgard’s interest was immediately piqued. It had been weeks of pretty much the same thing, maybe a petty theft at most. Although, most of the people wouldn’t come to the new government with concerns like that anyway.

Hubert gave a curt nod. “Three men have some details on some conspiracy occurring within the streets, as well as a possible location of illegal trade sales.”

Edelgard stood up quickly, albeit a little too quickly, her chair being pushed back in the action. She brushed off the front of her pants and nodded feverishly at Hubert.

“Yes. Please, send them in.” 

Edelgard abandoned whatever she’d been working on before and walked to stand in front of her desk, where she fastened her own two hands behind her back.

Hubert turned to open the door once more, but paused and glanced over his shoulder.

“Lady Edelgard, I urge you to keep yourself in mind when dealing with the public.” Hubert exited as quickly as he came, and Edelgard nodded her head to herself. Hubert might’ve had a steely exterior and been rude to nearly everyone else, but he had his own way of being there for Edelgard.

He returned only a few moments later, now being trailed by three young men, all around the same age. They formed a semi-circle around the desk and waited in silence.

“We hear that you have a report on an illegal conspiracy within the city?” Edelgard took no time for introductions and quickly jumped into the meat of the subject.

The young man on the left spoke up first.

“We were looking for work when we saw this notice posted up.” He quickly dug a flyer out of his bag at his side and held it out for Edelgard to take. The Imperial Princess took it quickly allowing her eyes to read over it. 

_ “Young men ages nineteen to twenty-six wanted for an acting job. No prior stage experience needed. Willing to pay a sizable amount.”  _

“I’d hardly call an acting job conspiracy,” Hubert commented from where he stood next to Edelgard. If it were him, he’d already have thrown these three out of the justice hall, but this was not his decision to make. His job was to follow through on every decision Edelgeard made. Edelgard looked up from the paper with a blank face and prompted the men to continue.

The man on the right went next.

“We all went, hoping to find some work. When we got there, it turned out they weren’t looking for just any ol’ actor.”

The man in the middle spoke up, although his voice was lowered to a hush even though the door was closed. “They were looking for a fake Prince Alexandre. Someone to pass off to Lord Fraldarius as the real prince!” 

His voice was cut off quickly as Hubert sent a glare his way. “I assure you, wasting the Empire’s time is no joke. Are you sure of what you saw?” He questioned. The young man in the middle nodded. Edelgard set this paper on her desk behind her and walked a few more paces forward.

“Why are you telling us all this?” She prompted.

She was quickly followed by Hubert. “Let me take a guess. Some people aren’t the best actors?”

Hubert savored the insulted look on all three men’s faces, although none dared to say a word. It seemed most wouldn’t dare defend themselves against Hubert. After a few moments of deafening silence, Edelgard exhaled.

“Did you get a look at what these conspirers looked like?” She asked.

“Yes!” The one on the right answered although he sounded a bit too excited. “A man and a woman were the ones who posted the advertisement. He had red hair and was taller than the lady. She was a little bit taller than you were, miss.”

Hubert left Edelgard’s side to go write down their descriptions on a blank piece of paper on Edelgard’s desk. He scrawled down some details and looked back up at the three.

“And as for the ‘prince’?” Hubert prompted.

The man on the left answered this time.

“He was tall, taller than the man with red hair. He has blond hair and was wearing dirty clothes. He looked kind of like a street vagrant.”

“You idiot!” The man in the middle elbowed his companion. “ _ You can’t forget the scar _ !”

“ _ Scar? _ ” Edelgard asked, not liking the direction this was heading.

“Yeah, you can’t miss it! The guy had the ugliest scar I’d ever seen, covered right where his eye should’ve been.” The man finished his statement by covering up one of his eyes.

Edelgard stared back at the three men as she processed the information, and she was afraid that she knew exactly who they were talking about. She exhaled and turned her back on the three men.

“Thank you for the tip. We’ll look into it. For now, I ask you three to leave, although don’t be surprised when you’re called in for further questioning.”

They did as they were asked, and as soon as the door clicked shut Edelgard felt her shoulders slump.

“Do you wish to listen to three men who were also tempted to engage in the conspiracy?” Hubert asked.

Edelgard gave him a nod.

“I wouldn’t read too much into it normally, but it’s different this time.” She picked up the flyer that she had previously placed on her desk and looked at it once more. “It’s different this time because I believe I’ve met the man that they speak of.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit shorter, purely because I didn't want to bore anyone with the Empire's perspective. There aren't many chapters like this, but please let me know if you like Empire chapters or not. If they're not interesting to anyone, I may find a way around them.
> 
> Again, comments and thoughts are always welcomed! Thank you all so much for reading and I hope you enjoy it! <3


	6. "Learn To Do It"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dimitri learns how be a noble from Sylvain and Byleth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't have anything of note to say about this chapter, except that it was quite fun to write. I had a bit of difficulty getting it started, but once I focused it came quite easily.
> 
> As always, I hope you enjoy the chapter, and feedback and comments are always welcome!

The Wyvern Moon had begun to dwindle, and winter was fast approaching. Not that it hadn’t already been cold in Faerghus for some time. It was almost cold in Faerghus all year round. Summer was probably the only time of the year when one could go out without some kind of outer coat. 

That’s why Dimitri was so thankful for Byleth and Sylvain. The pair had offered to let him stay with them before they departed for the Alliance. By all means, where Sylvain and Byleth were staying wasn’t glamorous, but it greatly surpassed Dimitri’s previous arrangements. He had been cycling between sleeping on the streets and taking a room with whoever he was working for at the moment.

The theatre where the auditions had been held had proved to be a fairly comfortable place to stay, and far more secure than Dimitri had originally taken it for. Sylvain and Byleth assured him that it was very safe and almost no one else ever entered the abandoned theatre. The only real concern was the occasional Imperial soldier who might get onto the trio for trespassing, but even that could be avoided if everyone was cautious when they entered and exited the building.

Some of the rooms closer to the outer walls still proved to be rather cold, but the auditorium itself was always quite warm. It was protected from the winds outside and was right next to the dressing rooms where Sylvain and Byleth had been sleeping. They assured him it was the best place to sleep since they had several fainting couches and plush chairs from the days when the theatre was still under operation.

Even though Byleth and Sylvain had been so kind, Dimitri couldn’t help but find himself nervous. They had told him that in addition to moving into the theatre today, they would also begin preparing him for his role as Prince Alexandre. Not that Dimitri didn’t have faith in his new comrades, but pretending to be a Prince was a massive undertaking and most certainly a felony. 

Dimitri inhaled his first breath of the stale air in the theatre for the day as he shed his outer coat. From the back of the auditorium, he could spot Sylvain standing on the stage next to what seemed to be a chalkboard. As Dimitri approached he could make out that it indeed was a chalkboard, and that Sylvain’s elegant scrawl had etched information all over it. 

“Well hello, Your Majesty!” Sylvain called down to his new friend from the stage. “Nice to see you didn’t flake on us. Get on up here!” Sylvain gave a laugh as he waved Dimitri forward.

Sylvain was soon joined by Dimitri on the stage after the latter had taken a set of stairs in the audience onto the stage. Sylvain had too shed his outer coat, leaving him in a long-sleeved teal tunic. He began to roll up his sleeves as he spoke.

“We’ve got a lot to get through today. We can always start off with the easier stuff, like etiquette, before we have to move onto the memorization.”

“Etiquette?” Dimitri questioned.

Sylvain gave a nod as he walked off into the wings of the stage. “Sure, we’ve gotta make sure you know how to act in front of nobles and all. They won’t think that just any everyday guy is the lost Prince, we’ve got to show that you remember your roots.” He had re-entered, pushing a small table back onto the stage.

Dimitri looked at his shoes and away from all of the props that Sylvain was setting up. “Where’s Byleth?”

“Oh, she’s just getting some books and other stuff to make sure we know what we’re talking about. She’ll join us later. She doesn’t know much about etiquette anyway, so you won’t be missing much.” Sylvain gave a laugh before motioning for Dimitri to take a seat behind the table.

Dimitri sat down and looked down at the table as Sylvain spread out a variety of plates and utensils, all of which were clearly cheap props from some production that had taken place at the theatre in the distant past. They were laid out in clear order, although since it was Sylvain that was laying them out, all the forks and knives and spoons were slightly crooked. 

“I’m sure he’s aware of how to use a fork, Sylvain.”

Dimitri turned over his shoulder to see Byleth entering from the opposite wing, a stack of rather thick books in her arms. She had yet to take off her overcoat, and judging by the faint layer of snow on her dark hair it was clear that she had just now come indoors.

“What a pleasure to see you too, By.” Sylvain gave a huff and walked over to take the books from Byleth’s hands.

“I think we’re wasting time on etiquette. Dimitri should be just fine. If anything we should go ahead and cover all of the background information, that way we won’t get busted for carrying all these biographies with us once we do meet the nobles.”

Dimitri did admit that she had a point. Not that he was exactly looking forward to either of the tasks at hand, but his gut told him that Byleth had a bit more common sense than Sylvain.

“Fine. We’ll come back to etiquette once we’re done with background knowledge.” Sylvain relented and set the books down on the table and cleared all that he had set out moments before. “Where do you suppose we start?” He asked Byleth.

“Easy. Where Prince Alexandre was born.” Byleth took one of the biographies off of the top of the stack and opened it up to a page that she had previously marked with a ribbon. “ _ Prince Alexandre Blaiddyd was born into the Royal Blaiddyd family of Faerghus in the capital city of Fhirdiad…”  _ Byleth began to read the book aloud to Dimitri and Sylvain, pacing as she did so.

_ “As a child, Prince Alexandre was fond of board games and playing make-believe with the other noble children. Most accounts say that he most frequently played with--” _

“Who was your best friend as a child?” Byleth looked up from the book to glare at Sylvain, who had so rudely interrupted her.

“Do you expect him to know something that we haven’t taught him yet?”

“Just give him a chance.” 

Byleth let her shoulders sag as both she and Sylvain looked expectantly at Dimitri. Dimitri swallowed and closed his eyes. Having Byleth and Sylvain stare at him made it harder to think, but he could definitely try. He tried to think. Who would’ve been his friend as a child? Who would play knights with him and who would he look forward to seeing? He tilted his head to the side as he thought, Byleth and Sylvain not uttering a word.

In his mind, he could make out two figures toddling about, wooden swords in the air. One was taller than the other and obviously a little bit older. Dimitri could feel his brow furrow as he tried to focus on the details. The taller boy had dark hair, and the shorter of the two had grey hair.

“Felix Hugo Fraldarius and Ashe Ubert.” Dimitri opened his eyes and looked expectantly at Byleth. Her mouth was slightly agape, obviously surprised.

“Not a bad guess.” She shook her head. “Here it says Felix Hugo Fraldarius and Ingrid Brandl Galatea.” 

Dimitri shook his own head. “I think I’d remember who my own best friends were.” He mumbled. Byleth and Sylvain stared at one another, surprise written on their visages. Silence rested in the theatre for a few moments, only interrupted when Sylvain clapped his hands together. 

“Not bad! Let’s keep going. Next section, Byleth!” It was obvious that he was trying to avoid any awkward tension from settling, but Dimitri feared that it would only irritate Byleth.

“Okay. Moving on. You are the descendant of Blaiddyd of the Ten Elites…”

As Byleth kept talking, Dimitri feared that this would not be as easy as he had originally hoped it would be.

  
  


* * *

  
  


Hours had passed since Dimitri had begun his lessons on becoming Prince Alexandre. Byleth and Sylvain had lectured and quizzed him endlessly on a variety of topics. The family tree was fairly easy to memorize, although some of the noble families proved to be a bit harder to remember.

“My father was King Lambert of Faerghus. He was married to my step-mother Patricia. I have no siblings. My father was close to Lord Rodrigue Fraldarius in his youth, and I played with his son Felix Hugo Fraldarius as a boy.” Dimitri paused and looked at Sylvain who gave him an encouraging nod.

“-And?” Sylvain prompted.

“-And Ingrid Brandl Galatea is the daughter of Count Galatea and another child I played with frequently with as a boy. She was betrothed to Glenn Fraldarius, son of Lord Fraldarius and brother of Felix.” Byleth had emphasized to him the importance of Ingrid, even though his mind refused to recall any details of the girl that was supposedly so important. Dimitri forced himself to make a space for her in his mind next to Felix, although he couldn’t help but think that that spot was for the boy by the name of Ashe.

“Ashe Ubert is the adoptive son of Lord Lonato.” The words slipped out before he realized it. Ashe had been mentioned once or twice during their studies, but Byleth and Sylvain had emphasized nearly all of the other Kingdom nobles’ importance over Ashe. Yet, Dimitri couldn’t help but recall the image of the small boy with a head of gray hair and eyes filled with wonder as he studied a wall of books. 

“Lord Lonato had a son by birth named Christophe. He and Ashe got along well.” Dimitri’s voice began to trail off at this point, the mental picture of Ashe pushing its way back into his mind. “ _ Ashe always liked knight’s tales,” _ Dimitri mumbled the sentence, Sylvain and Byleth barely catching what he had said.

The two con-artists glanced at one another, a silent conversation passing between the two of them. They both seemed to say the same thing with their eyes:  _ “I don’t remember telling him that.” _

“Good!” Sylvain nodded and ignored what Dimitri had said, just in case he didn’t want anyone to hear what he had said. “As fun as all this memorization has been, you still need to have  _ some  _ class.”

Dimitri cocked his head to the side as he stared at Sylvain. “What do you mean?” His voice was barely above a whisper.

“I’m letting you off the hook for table manners, but a good Prince  _ has to know how to dance _ .”

Byleth’s eyes widened and she already began walking off towards one of the wings, but Sylvain caught her by the neck of her coat before she could make it very far.

“Byleth here shall be your partner, and I, your instructor.”

Byleth gave a huff and cast a glare towards Sylvain. Sylvain released Byleth from his hold, and she begrudgingly took off her outer coat that she had been wearing and hung it on the back of one of the prop chairs. 

Dimitri slowly stood up from his chair and approached Byleth. He couldn’t help but feel nervous all of a sudden. What if he was bad at dancing? What if he tripped Byleth with his foot? He could only imagine how much she’d hate him then.

The woman in question blankly stared at Dimitri as he stood in front of him, her face near impossible to read. Dimitri swallowed and waited for Sylvain to start giving instructions.

“Okay, Dimitri you put your hand  _ here _ and place your other in her hand.” Sylvain took Dimitri’s right hand and placed it on Byleth’s waist. Dimitri quickly averted his eyes as Byleth obviously tensed under his touch. Byleth took her own free hand and placed it on Dimitri’s shoulder. Neither said a word.

“Good!” Sylvain backed up from the pair. “All you have to do is move three steps at a time.” Sylvain began to count with some imaginary music he made up in his head. The pair began to move from right to left with Sylvain’s counting, albeit rather clumsily. Dimitri had to remind himself to stop being so nervous, that was part of the reason why this experience was so agonizing. Just as Dimitri inhaled a breath to calm himself, Byleth stepped directly onto his foot.

“ _ Oof-” _

“Sorry.”

Dimitri looked away from Byleth and to Sylvain, his face burning. “Is it because I’m bad?” Of course, he would be the reason that they would mess up, he’d never danced like this in his life.

“No. You’re not bad at all.” Sylvain shook his head, and his statement allowed a bit of relief to enter Dimitri’s mind. “ _ She is _ .” 

Byleth shot Sylvain a glare. “ _ Hush, Sylvain.”  _ Dimitri couldn’t help but laugh. Quickly after, Byleth took up the lead, steering the pair directly towards their red-haired instructor. Sylvain gave a shout as Byleth held no remorse for charging directly at him, and although he may have seemed displeased with Byleth’s tomfoolery, he couldn’t help but be delighted at the fact that the pair were now dancing around the room together. 

They spun as they stepped, a task that gave most newcomers some difficulty. Dimitri caught himself smiling at Byleth as she teased Sylvain, and Byleth swore she could feel a smirk creeping up the corners of her face.

Dimitri decided that maybe all these lessons and endless memorizations weren’t too bad after all.


	7. "The Rose Colored River"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dimitri had assumed that Edelgard had been an important figure in New Enbarr, considering that they met in the political district. Although he never anticipated the fact that she was the acting leader of Faerghus as a whole, nor that she had been searching the streets for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads up that this an Empire chapter, and therefore is a bit shorter than the others. (Although this one is longer than the last Empire chapter). More thoughts and comments are at the end of the chapter!

Edelgard ran a gloved hand down her pale face. Hubert had just come in with a report of a young man who looked  _ identical _ to Dimitri. Of course, that name had meant next to nothing to Hubert, but Edelgard’s heart had stopped once she heard it. The same man who she had run into on the city streets a few days ago. The same man who had been one of the first civilians to not go running at the sight of her.

She was embarrassed at the fact that it was something to celebrate, to say the least. People shouldn’t have to fear their leader, that much she knew. However, no matter how hard she tried to commune with the common man nothing had changed. She could see the fear in their eyes and the way that the younger children’s legs would shake once she came closer. Their parents had most likely told them stories about the Empire, about the people who forcefully took their home.

But Edelgard knew different. The Empire was in charge not because they were selfish, but because they were  _ right _ . The citizens of Faerghus had been manipulated and taken advantage of by the Kingdom nobles and the church for years, it was only right that the Empire step in. That was what she believed in anyway. Even if the taking of Faerghus hadn’t been her doing, it was her duty now to rule with a just hand.

A harsh knock on the door shook Edelgard from her thoughts. She scolded herself for allowing her thoughts to distract her from what the purpose of this entire escapade was. She could not overlook an act of conspiracy purely because the perpetrator had been somewhat kind, at least compared to all those who had come before him.

Hubert quickly stepped into the room with two soldiers following behind him, and in their arms was a startled Dimitri. She quickly spotted a flicker of recognition behind his visage before he averted his eyes.

“Leave us,” Edelgard waved away the two soldiers and they left as quickly as they had arrived. Hubert refrained from speaking, although it was clear to her that he had something to say.

Edelgard turned her attention to Dimitri, who was now standing awkwardly in the center of the room. His hair was different than last time. Now half of it had been pulled up to show more of his face, but it was clear that there had been some sort of scuffle during his apprehension since much of it had fallen down in his eyes. His only working eye was wide and it was clear that he was nervous. If Edelgard looked close enough she would’ve been able to tell that he was shaking.

“Are you aware of why we brought you here, Dimitri?” Edelgard spoke first.

Dimitri didn’t say a word, only gave the faintest shake of his head. Out of her peripherals, Edelgard could see Hubert tense. Seconds passed, no one in the room quite aware of what to say. Dimitri was afraid to speak at all, Edelgard was at a loss for words, and Hubert was aware that he was close to stepping out of line.

“Lady Edelgard, would you have me take over the investigation?” Hubert prompted, ignoring Dimitri’s presence. 

“No, thank you, Hubert.” Edelgard shook her head. “I’ll continue. Please leave us, Hubert.”

Edelgard was sure that Hubert felt some kind of betrayal as she told him to leave, but she also knew that she needed to speak to Dimitri alone. There was no way that she’d be able to ask and tell Dimitri everything she wanted to with him in the room. Edelgard glanced over to Dimitri to see the man looking back and forth between the two of them quickly.

“Very well.” Hubert took a deep breath and left the room without another word.

As the door clicked shut Edelgard turned her back to Dimitri and took a seat behind her desk. She motioned for him to do the same. The silence continued, only disrupted by the sound of Dimitri pulled the wooden chair out for him to take a seat.

Edelgard hated to think that the man in front of her could possibly be conspiring to pretend to be the long lost Prince Alexandre. Of course, she hadn’t had enough time to get a good judge of his character, but Dimitri had gained her trust in a matter of minutes. A moment passed without another word, Edelgard studying Dimitri who was looking at anything  _ but _ Edelgard.

“I’m not quite sure what I did wrong.” Dimitri’s voice was barely above a whisper. Edelgard could see that he was wringing his hands underneath the table.

Edelgard took in a deep breath and leaned forward on her elbows against the surface of her desk. “Neither am I. That was why I was so hesitant to speak to you in front of Hubert.”

Dimitri looked Edelgard directly in the eyes for the first time that evening. 

“Hubert is far more eager to make arrests than I am. Although we disagree sometimes, he is still my friend and closest ally. I don’t like to act without his approval as well, although it can be necessary on occasion.” It was now Edelgard’s turn to study the objects in the room rather than the person she was speaking to.

“You’re under suspicion of conspiracy. That’s why you were brought here.” Edelgard refocused her gaze onto Dimitri. “More specifically, we received reports of you and two others planning on impersonating the late Prince Alexandre. I’m sure you’re aware that that is very much a felony, in New Enbarr, Old Fharghus,  _ and _ the Alliance.”

Dimitri nodded, although far sooner than Edelgard had anticipated for he had been rather hesitant about everything in the conversation so far. Edelgard leaned back from the table and back into her chair.

“I’m very serious about New Enbarr, and all of Faerghus for that matter. I was entrusted with ruling it by my father.” Edelgard did not dare tear her eyes away from Dimitri. “Emperor Ionius may have headed on the freeing of Faerghus, but it is now my duty to make him proud and do what is best for the people. That of course includes snuffing out any rumors and acts of conspiracy within the borders of Faerghus.”

“For as long as the river runs red with the blood of those who died for the cause of taking Faerghus under the right flag, _ I will do what I must for my people _ .”

Dimitri shifted under Edelgard’s stare.

“I consider you my friend, Dimitri.” Her purple gaze was unwavering. “However, I won’t hesitate to pursue the needed course of action to protect New Enbarr.”

Edelgard stood from her chair, and Dimitri looked up at her from his own seat.

“I’m sure you would do the same. Wouldn’t you, Dimitri?”

Dimitri didn’t even offer up a nod of his head this time, only his blank stare in return. Edelgard wished at that moment that she could read minds, even if only for a second, just to get a glimpse of what the hurt young man was thinking.

“I respect you Dimitri, and I consider you a friend. So I’m trusting you to make the right decision. For those around you.”

“For those around me,” Dimitri repeated her words, although his tone wasn’t easy to place. Edelgard hoped that whatever words she had said had been coherent and clear, understandable enough to make him comprehend the severity of the situation. Edelgard took in another breath and fastened her arms behind her back.

“Hubert will see you out. Thank you for your time.”

She watched Dimitri slowly stand up from his chair and make his way to the exit of her office, and she could only cross her fingers that he would do what was right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to say thank you all for how sweet you've been in the comments! Loads of you guys have left super uplifting comments and thoughts and I love reading them so much. 
> 
> I also wanted to clarify some details. Edelgard plays the role of Gleb from the stage musical, rather than Rasputin from the movie. I just felt like it fit better. It is also implied in the stage musical that Gleb has feelings for Anastasia. I wanted to emphasize that this IS NOT the case with Edelgard and Dimitri in this fic. Although the fact that they are canonically step-siblings does not have as much impact in this fic, I wanted to make it clear that Edelgard only feels sympathy for Dimitri. 
> 
> Lastly, thank you all so much for reading and leaving comments and kudos! They mean the world to me. :)


	8. "My Fhirdiad"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dimitri accompanies Byleth on an errand. Although, it turns out to be a bit more difficult that the two had originally bargained.

Before Dimitri had come along, Byleth and Sylvain would embark on various errands together. However, ever since the group had become a party of three, Sylvain would often take it as an out to stay back at the theatre.

_ “Someone needs to hold down the fort!” _

_ “Don’t want to attract too much attention with all three of us.” _

_ “It’s a bit too cold today and I left my coat back in the storage room. Maybe next time?” _

Dimitri had narrowed it down to the fact that Sylvain was being lazy with all this promise of wealth and fortune in the near future. Although, he wasn’t sure he would go pinning all his hope on a scheme with such a slim chance. At least not after his run-in with Edelgard and more security measures being put in place. Dimitri decided that he could let Sylvain dream, at least until things got a bit more serious.

It wasn’t like Dimitri didn’t think that the plan could work. It was very well thought out, and Sylvain and Byleth were both very smart. Dimitri would even go to the extent to say that he  _ trusted _ Byleth. He felt a bit foolish saying so when it hadn’t even been a week since they had first met, but there was something about her blank stare that made Dimitri feel as if she were genuine.

In light of Sylvain’s recent absences from errands, Byleth had invited Dimitri to come along. Sylvain had suggested taking him along the last time that she left the theatre, but it had apparently taken some convincing on Sylvain’s part for her to agree. 

It had already snowed across Faerghus multiple times in the past month. Fhirdiad particularly got the brunt of the weather as it was settled comfortably in the north. It wasn’t as if the weather hadn’t been an issue before, but it was very much becoming more and more of an inconvenience as the snow itself accumulated. 

Dimitri’s old winter coat was only doing so much to keep the cold out. He had held onto it for the past four years, and its age was showing. The coat was covered in tattered holes and ripped edges, and the winter air was finding its way through the ragged fabric. He’d been needing to replace it for a while, but he was afraid to spend the money in case he needed it for something more important later. Sylvain had taken to loaning Dimitri some of his extra clothes in the meantime, which Dimitri appreciated greatly. Although, something excited Dimitri about being able to buy his own cloak without feeling guilty about it.

“We can buy you a new coat soon,” Byleth said suddenly. She must have been watching Dimitri fiddle with the loose buttons. “Although, you may not want to buy one just yet since we’ll be leaving for the Alliance soon. It’s warmer over there.”

Dimitri gave her a curt nod and Byleth went back to staring at the path ahead.

Trying to hold a conversation with Byleth was entirely different than it was with Sylvain. Even if you didn’t quite know what to say, Sylvain had a way of making it easy to talk with him. He may have been a bit of a “fool” as Byleth had put it, but he always filled the silence that gave Dimitri so much trouble

The same could not be said for Byleth, however. She was about the same as Dimitri when it came to conversation, being the furthest from talkative. If she quipped back at Sylvain with a sarcastic remark, Dimitri would’ve considered it a social day for her. It wasn’t like she didn’t like people, more though as if she didn’t know how to navigate them. Her often blunt statements would come off as a challenge or insult to most, but Dimitri soon figured out that by her blank face that she was entirely unaware of the implications her sentences had. To her, conversation was not a pastime as it was to Sylvain, but a survival skill.

To put both Dimitri and Byleth together in a conversation was an odd experience. It mostly rested in silence, but every once in a while Byleth or Dimitri would point at something they passed by and tell the other something about it. 

Dimitri pointed out when he had shoveled snow or chopped wood for money, while Byleth would share where Sylvain had done something stupid.

_ “That man paid me ten gold pieces to clean his storefront.” _

_ “That’s where Sylvain slipped on ice last winter and busted his hide.” _

After the odd story here and there the pair would again fall back into silence, as neither of them seemed to have much to say. 

“What are we fetching today, if I may ask?”

Byleth didn’t carry a paper list like most, so it was always hard to tell what she was after in the first place.

“Just some stuff of mine back at the old place. Someone said I left something behind, so I figured I might have a look around.”

Dimitri gave another nod.

The two fell back into the silence that had been there moments before and continued to navigate the backroads of the city. Dimitri had assumed that they needed to be more covert ever since he’d been questioned by Edelgard. She had made it very clear that what they were doing was in fact  _ very _ illegal, and if they were caught the consequences would be severe. Even if they didn’t get caught outright, Dimitri imagined that the sight of seeing him with the two other “suspects” would be enough to warrant their arrest.

“We’re here,” Byleth said, interrupting his thoughts. 

He looked up and examined the area that Byleth and Sylvain used to call home. The small alley that they had been walking in only a few moments ago let out into a decently sized courtyard. In the center sat what had previously been a well. The pit that would’ve led down to a water source had since been boarded up, and weeds had begun to sprout up around the base of the well. It was clear that it hadn’t been used in quite some time. There were several small buildings, many of them sharing walls with the others. All of the buildings were rather close together and in about the same condition as the well. The whole area felt like a ghost town, not a single person could be seen through the busted windows.

“You and Sylvain used to live here?” Dimitri prayed that his question didn’t come off too condescending. He didn’t want to seem disapproving of their previous living conditions. Although, it probably wouldn’t seem that way since Dimitri himself has been sleeping on the streets quite often. 

Byleth gave a nod. “That house over there was ours.” Her finger pointed over to the shabbiest shack of them all that was nestled in the corner. “More so mine. I had been paying for it before I met Sylvain. Then he started to chip in once he picked up work again.” Dimitri nodded and watched as Byleth took a step towards the house.

All of a sudden she stopped in her tracks and threw her arm up to stop Dimitri from taking another step. Dimitri could spot her hand flying to a dagger on her hip.

“What’s wrong?”

“ _ Hush. _ ” Byleth ordered, “ _ Someone’s here. _ ” 

Dimitri was shocked for a moment. Not only at the fact that someone was here, but that Byleth  _ knew  _ that someone was there without even seeing them. Byleth quickly reached into her winter coat and pulled out another matching dagger, before passing it over to Dimitri. He took the unsheathed knife in his hand and held it at the ready as Byleth had done. He never really had much experience fighting as the Empire strongly discouraged any kind of violence on the streets. He had hunted a wild boar once for pay, but that was the extent of his combat skills.

Just as quickly as Byleth had been when it came to drawing her weapon, several men and women appeared out of every nook and cranny of the courtyard. These weren’t Imperial soldiers, Dimitri could tell that by their lack of bronze armor. The attackers were wearing worn outer coats like Byleth, although their clothes seemed worse for wear.

In a matter of seconds, they began to attack the pair. Dimitri fought the instinct to close his eyes until it was over, he couldn’t leave Byleth to fight by herself.

The first man dove for Byleth, his own knife raised above his head. Byleth didn’t hesitate to grab him by the arm and flip him over headfirst into the ground. She quickly kicked away his knife, although it most likely wouldn’t do much for a man who was unconscious anyway.

Dimitri stood there for a split second and stared at her. He definitely didn’t pin her for one to have the brute strength to flip a man twice her own size.

“ _ Dimitri! _ ” Dimitri snapped out of his haze to see Byleth with a woman in a headlock under her arm. “Don’t freeze up on me.”

“Right, sorry!” Dimitri immediately turned his back to Byleth to see that he now had his own attacker. He shoved Byleth’s knife in his belt and began to brawl with the man in front of him.

Byleth released the incapacitated fighter from her arms as she looked up to see Dimitri throw an uppercut directly into his assailant’s nose. The man was now laying on the stone street clutching his bloody nose. Byleth’s face contorted into a look of surprise as Dimitri turned back around to face her.

“Not bad for a ‘prince.’” She couldn’t help but allow the sarcastic remark to slip out. Dimitri, despite being attacked by several strangers, felt a small smile creep onto his face.

“You’re not so bad yourself.” He motioned to the pile of unconscious attackers that she had accumulated at her feet. Byleth’s own faint smile appeared, and it only made Dimitri want to smile more.

“Your friend isn’t out quite yet.” Byleth interrupted the quiet silence by pointing towards the man that Dimitri had punched earlier. He had risen to his feet again, although his nose now looked broken in about three separate places. The man shook his head to clear his mind before beginning to charge at Dimitri once more. He now held his own larger dagger in his hands, poised to attack.

Dimitri was now running on adrenaline and braced himself against the oncoming enemy. The man dove down with his knife for Dimitri’s face, but his arms were caught by his target. The knife barely nicked Dimitri’s cheek before Dimitri turned around and flipped over his enemy as Byleth had done, although this time it was directly into the stone edge of the well. The man crumpled onto the ground and Dimitri found himself panting.

He turned to see Byleth sheathing her knife at her hip and studying the attackers on the ground

“Who exactly are they?” Dimitri asked as he caught his breath.

Byleth shook her head in disapproval. “My old mercenary company.”

“You’re a mercenary?” Dimitri couldn’t help but be surprised. Of course, he knew she had done something for work before this whole scheme, but he had never imagined it would be something as ghastly as a mercenary. Although judging by that fight alone, she was quite well cut out for that type of work.

“You could say so. I left the company once Sylvain and I joined forces. They didn’t like him because they thought he was too elitist and hard-to-please. I can understand why, especially with how he was when we first met, but I think they didn’t like him because I seemed to trust Sylvain more than I did them.” Byleth quickly turned away from the pile of mercenaries and began to walk back the way they came. Dimitri jogged to catch up with her.

“You don’t want to see what you left?” He asked.

“I highly doubt there’s really anything there. They were the ones to give me the tip in the first place.” 

“Oh,” Dimitri looked back down at his shoes, “Do you have any idea why they would want to attack you?”

Byleth sighed. “I’m not quite sure. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were catching us for some Empire reward money. They’ve been taking jobs like that ever since Jeralt passed, jobs that he wouldn’t agree with.”

“Jeralt?” 

“My father.” Byleth looked Dimitri directly in his eyes as she kept walking. “Jeralt the Blade Breaker.”

Dimitri combed his memory for any name such as that, but he couldn’t recall anything. He was never one to take jobs like mercenary work anyway.

“I grew up in the company. More like a small recruit to him than his daughter.” She exhaled in what was the closest thing to a laugh that Byleth could muster. “Things fell apart after he died. No one was really in charge anymore. I was the closest thing to second in command, but none of them wanted to take orders from a girl half their age.”

Dimitri cocked his head to the side as she kept talking. It was probably the most words she’d ever said uninterrupted, and every one of them was extremely personal.

“I met Sylvain while I was trying to find more work for everyone. When I brought him back with me, they weren’t pleased. Called me a ‘disgrace to my father’ and other names I’d rather not repeat. Probably assumed he was some old Imperial noble because they never really gave me a chance to explain.” Byleth hadn’t stopped walking ever since they left the courtyard with the well and she finally slowed her pace slightly. “I left not long after because I knew they weren’t going to take orders from me anymore. They weren’t a group I would want my father’s name or my own associated with any more, anyway.”

“I’m not sure why I’m telling you this anyway,” She let out another exhale laugh, and took her own turn to look at her shoes, and Dimitri was sure there were some words that she was leaving unsaid. “Do you remember life before the Empire?”

“Not really, no.” Dimitri didn’t remember much of anything in all honesty. He had made it clear that all he saw in his head were foggy images of the past thirteen years and nothing before.

“There wasn’t too much going on back then, but I would consider it a good thing,” Byleth mumbled. “Sure, we had some of the problems that we have now, but it was different in a way. My father was never the type to express much emotion and neither was I, but I could still say that we were happy.

“Fhirdiad was different.”

“No  _ New Enbarr _ ?” Dimitri asked, a hint of humor on his tongue.

“Oh Sothis, No.” Byleth exhaled, mildly amused by Dimitri’s joke.

“Just people, doing as they’ve always done. It was still cold and food was still an issue for some, but it was normal, to say the least. We had a King and Prince, and nobles that supposedly helped out when issues arose. I’m not quite positive about that one, but since the Empire wants us to believe the opposite I’ve decided that they were the greatest people, just to spite them.”

It was Dimitri’s turn to laugh, although his own was quite faint.

“I had never met a noble back when they were supposed to be caring for the people of Faerghus, so I can never say if they deserved what happened to them or not. I’d like to think not.”

Dimitri immediately knew what Byleth was talking about. In addition to the assassination of the royal family, the nobles had also been attacked and apprehended. Of course, not all of them had been captured since Lord Fraldarius was known to be in the Alliance, but he was sure some of them had been caught alongside the royal family.

“Things were bad then too, but I would take Fhirdiad over  _ New Enbarr  _ any day .”

Byleth had turned back to look at Dimitri.

“Although, we shouldn’t be grieving the past when we have so much ahead of us,” Byleth said.

“I suppose you’re right.” Dimitri looked at Byleth, and even though there wasn’t much behind her eyes at first glance, it was clear that even she had a glimmer of hope.

And if Byleth believed that things would work out, then Dimitri would call himself an optimist from that point onward. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has been one of my favorites to write, and *boy* was it a long one. Longest chapter yet, clocking in at 2772 words. It is currently 17% of the fic as a whole, which is an interesting statistic.
> 
> This chapter was a bit different to write since I didn't have my main man and source of comic relief Sylvain to lighten the mood like he usually does. Instead, we have the two awkward characters left on their own to talk. 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! If you did, please consider leaving a comment with your thoughts or comments, I love reading them so much. Thank you guys again, and I'll see you soon!


	9. "Once Upon An Ethereal Moon"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth feels guilty about withholding a piece of information from Dimitri, so she decides to come clean. Dimitri relives a memory that he never knew he had.

Byleth had been holding her breath ever since Dimitri had agreed to join her and Sylvain’s escapade. That was a bit of an exaggeration, but Byleth couldn’t help but feel guilty when it came to lying to Dimitri.

To say that she was lying was another exaggeration. It was more so hiding the truth. 

She had never intended on hiding the fact they didn’t have the money for the trip to the Alliance. Sylvain had suggested that they should probably avoid the subject until further notice, but Byleth didn’t like lying to someone that she considered an ally.

Lying to an enemy or a traitor had never mattered. They had already made their fate and deserved what treatment they received, but an ally was different. If someone had placed their trust in you, then it was up to you to keep it. Most “allies” hadn’t been very trustworthy to begin with, so Byleth wouldn’t bat an eye when they did something against their code. 

However, something about Dimitri was different. Byleth couldn’t place her finger on what it was exactly. Maybe it was the way that Dimitri spoke of his life before they had met. His nights on the streets and days spent on hard work. Although, Byleth never had felt sympathy for anyone else’s sob story. Sure, she’d help any orphan if need be, but it wasn’t like her to pity a grown man.

Perhaps it was the way that he lost himself in glimpses of who he thought he was. His single eye would become glossy and it seemed as if he couldn’t hear Byleth or Sylvain. It hadn’t happened often, but Byleth could remember each time in great detail. He would twist his fingers with his free hand and look just above Byleth’s head. Maybe the strange feeling of sympathy was evoked by how Dimitri always looked so lost yet focused all at the same time.

Surely, that had to be it. 

The feeling of guilt, as Sylvain had called it, had continued to burn in her gut ever since. Byleth would even say that it had gotten worse since she and Dimitri had encountered her old mercenary group a few days ago. 

It no longer felt just embarrassing that they didn’t have the money for the trip, but  _ wrong _ .

Dimitri had become an ally, and Sylvain would even say he was now a friend. While Byleth didn’t have many of those, she knew that friends weren’t supposed to lie to each other. 

Byleth gave an exhale as she shed her outer coat. It had become a habit to her, just as it was to Sylvain and Dimitri when they entered the theatre. She assumed that she had always kept her coat on inside unless she was sleeping because it was a habit her father had, and she had followed his lead for most of her life. Although, nowadays she seemed to be allowing herself to relax a bit around Sylvain and Dimitri. No matter how comfortable around the two she was, that same nagging thought in the back of her head proved to be quite unnerving.

As soon as Byleth spotted Dimitri in the dressing room with a book in his hand, she decided that she would put an end to the mental gymnastics she was putting herself through. 

He was seated in one of the old plush chairs that had been left behind with his right elbow rested on its arm. He held the book--Byleth noted that this one had a green cover--in his left hand and his face rested against the palm of his right. He seemed peaceful, as peaceful as a ghostly young man such as himself could be. Byleth might’ve studied him further if he hadn’t looked up from his book to stare at her.

“May I help you?” He asked.

Byleth shook her head and stared at him for a few moments. He stared back at her, but quickly dropped his head down to look back at his book. The silence that the two were quite familiar with resumed, neither moving an inch. Dimitri might’ve been reading again, but based on the fact that his eye hadn’t moved from left to right Byleth would guess that he was only pretending.

“Actually--”

“Yes?” Dimitri immediately looked back at Byleth, almost as if his stare had never been broken to begin with. Byleth blinked.

“I would like to show you something.”

“Of course.” Dimitri gave a nod and quickly stood from his chair, dropping his book in the process. “Go right ahead.”

* * *

  
  


The journey to the supply closet had been just as all their other walks and conversations were: silent and uneventful. This one was even lacking in the small opportunities to share stories with one another, as there was no scenery to remind them of their various tales.

Byleth held the door open for herself to enter and then emerge back into the hallway with a strange weapon in hand. Dimitri studied the object from where he was leaning against the wall but didn’t say a word. Something about it was  _ familiar _ but he couldn’t quite place his finger on it. Dimitri continued to stare at it, only breaking his gaze when Byleth spoke.

“I had a few things I’ve been meaning to share with you.” Byleth stared blankly at Dimitri when she spoke, just like she always did, but this time there was something different about the way she looked. “I wanted to apologize first. Sylvain and I should have been more honest from the beginning. I was just hesitant to trust you at first.”

Dimitri furrowed his brow slightly at Byleth. What exactly was she getting at? Dimitri couldn’t even imagine Byleth being a dishonest person. She was so straight forward, letting every thought leave her mouth without even the slightest hesitation. 

“I’m afraid I don’t understand.” 

Byleth gave an exhale, readjusting the weapon in her hand.

“We don’t have the money to make it to the Alliance.” For the first time in what Dimitri assumed was the entire time that they had known each other, Byleth looked at her shoes while she spoke. “Sylvain and I have been taking extra jobs to make up the amount, but we could only pool together enough for one ferry ticket.”

Byleth finally looked up to meet Dimitri’s line of sight.

“I understand if you want to back out of the deal now. I wouldn’t blame you for leaving a scheme that didn’t even have enough money to get itself off the ground.” 

Dimitri blinked. That was what she was so serious about? If he was being honest, he didn’t even believe that Sylvain and Byleth had enough resources to get them this far. The fact that they were the only two involved in the operation gave that fact away fairly early on.

“I figured.” Byleth’s eyes widened for a split second.

“How so?” She asked.

“It was fairly simple.” Dimitri shrugged, “There are only three of us, and none of us have stable jobs. I figured it was a given.” 

“You’re not planning on backing out?”

“Not as far as I can tell. I think it would be counterproductive for me to have learned all of that history only to throw away my opportunity to use it.” Dimitri responded, “Besides, it’s pleasant to be around Sylvain and yourself.”

Byleth gave a nod, and Dimitri shuffled back and forth on his feet.

“Actually, I may have something that can help.” Byleth stared at him in the way that she always did when she waited for an answer. “It’s not much, but surely we can sell it for something.”

Dimitri fished out a necklace from under his shirt. He quickly unlatched the pendant from around his neck and held it out in his hand. It was surely made of some kind of precious metal, and its face was that of a lion. 

“I’m not sure where it came from, because I’ve always had it with me. Maybe it can help someone else for a change.”

Byleth glanced at the pendant and then looked back up at Dimitri. He was so willing to give away his only clue to his life before this one?

“Are you sure? Surely it must be precious to you.” 

“Perhaps. Although I’d feel better if we escaped Faerghus safely and correctly. Not to mention I trust you to make the right call.”

Byleth blinked before slowly taking the pendant from Dimitri’s hand. 

“Thank you, Dimitri. I don’t know what to say.”

“You would surely do the same for me.”

The hallway grew silent, and the only sound was the bottom of the mystery weapon scraping the floor as Byleth twisted the pendant in her hand. The two stared at one another as they always did.

“What exactly is it?” Dimitri hadn’t named anything in particular, but it was clear that he meant the monstrous lance in Byleth’s hands.

“It’s supposed to be  _ Areadbhar _ . The royal family’s relic.” She tilted her head to the side as if she was trying to get a better look at the lance itself. “It’s a fake clearly, otherwise it wouldn’t have been given away for so cheap at the market. Sylvain and I bought it a few days before we met you, and hoped it would give our claim some validity.”

Dimitri squinted at it for a little while longer before he extended his hand out. “Do you mind?” Byleth shook her head, before passing Areadbhar to Dimitri.

He took the lance in his hand and began to examine it closer. “It certainly is a real lance, judging by its weight, and even some of the details are rather well-” Dimitri’s voice trailed off as his fingers grazed the weapon ever so slightly.

“Dimitri?”

Byleth’s question fell on deaf ears. Dimitri seemed to be in some kind of trance, just like he was when he recounted his past all the previous times. His eyes glazed over and his breathing hitched.

“Dimitri?” He didn’t answer the second time either. Areadbhar was the only one to give some kind of reaction. The lance itself hummed to life and the gem at its center began to glow slightly. Byleth began to reconsider if this  _ Areadbhar _ had ever been fake to begin with.

  
  


* * *

Dimitri had seen this place before. That much he was sure of. Maybe an old dream or nightmare that he so often had. He currently stood in a long corridor lined with pillars. The floor was covered with some kind of red rug as well.

He thought he was alone as well, that was until he heard the voices.

_ "Prince Alexandre, wait up!" _

_ "I told you already, Ashe! We're friends now, you don't have to call me Prince anymore." _

_ "Right! Sorry, Prince Ale— Sorry, Alexandre." _

Two young boys practically bounced around the hallway, clearly full of excitement. The first boy was easy to recognize. He had distinct gray hair, and he was shorter than the other. In fact, his name had already been given away.  _ Ashe _ . This was the one noble that Dimitri had remembered so vividly from his studies, at least next to all the others.

The other boy was--as Dimitri would put it-- odd. His hair was neat and he was an average height for a boy his age, but something about him was  _ off. _ Although it proved to be rather difficult to decide what made him so. Thanks to the clues provided by the boys themselves, Dimitri put two and two together to conclude that the odd boy was in fact the very prince that he was currently trying to impersonate.

After studying the young prince as galloped about the corridor, Dimitri couldn’t help but note that Sylvain and Byleth had done an excellent job at casting. Dimitri held a  _ very strong _ resemblance to the young Alexandre Blaiddyd. They had the same hair and eye color, and Dimitri would even go to the extent to say that they had the same nose.

The boys bounced about the hall for a while as Dimitri watched, before they were joined by another boy. One with raven hair and a wooden sword in his hand. He was definitely more excitable than the other two. This was Felix if Dimitri had overheard correctly. The same Felix Fraldarius which Sylvain has taught him about. Although, he had never mentioned the lack of patience that Felix seemed to be exhibiting in the scene before Dimitri.

Dimitri continued to follow the boys for what felt like an eternity, down the winding halls of whatever  _ fortress  _ they were currently in. The boys had been playing for quite some time. It was some kind of make-believe where the boys were knights and dragons from a distant land. Dimitri smiled at the boys. It wasn’t often that he got to see children playing and laughing without a care in the world. Typically they weren’t allowed out in the streets of Fhirdiad by their parents, and if they were, they would run away from Dimitri at the sight of his eye. He supposed that this event wouldn’t be any different if the boys could actually  _ see  _ him.

All of a sudden the boys stopped at a doorway and brought their voices down to a hush. Clearly, something had torn their attention away from their game. Dimitri grew closer to the children until he stopped right behind them. If this scene were real, then they would have noticed him by now.

Dimitri looked up to see what had rendered the boys so speechless. In the center of the room was a glass cased that housed the very lance that Dimitri had been holding minutes before.  _ Areadbhar.  _ Dimitri wanted to get closer, just to get a better look, but something held him firm in his spot. The same could be said for the trio of boys in front of him.

From where Dimitri was standing the lance looked practically identical to the fake that Byleth had procured. Dimitri would even say that they  _ were _ the same lance. Both were the exact same height, and all the details strongly resembled one another. Either Byleth had done a convincing job finding an identical copy, or the lance that he had been holding before was the real Areadbhar.

Dimitri’s vision began to fade. All too suddenly at that. The carpet lost its vivid color and soon grew to be a color similar to Ashe’s hair. The chatter of the boys became fuzzy and indistinct. Dimitri’s eyesight now felt  _ fuzzy _ . He rushed to rub away the blurriness from his vision, but the scene continued to fade.

He wasn’t ready to leave. At least not yet. He had so much more he wanted to see. He needed to study the real Areadbhar further, and he needed to know what happened to the trio of friends that he had been following thus far. Dimitri spun around on himself and looked for somewhere to go. However, the path that he had taken before was completely greyed out, and the distinct shapes of the columns and floor had already melted into one another.

He turned around once more to face the boys. The scene around them had begun to melt as the hallway had, but the boys stayed the same, although their colors were slightly faded. The boys opened their mouths to speak, but no sound came out. They were speaking to someone, someone that Dimitri couldn’t see or hear.

The boys suddenly split up and left the room. Felix followed the phantom man out of the room, and Ashe wasn’t far behind. They left Prince Alexandre all alone in what had previously been a trophy room of some kind. Although, the edges of the prince’s coat began to leak into the rest of the image, just as the carpet had.

Panic began to set in for Dimitri. Why was this vision that had just appeared fleeting so quickly? He hadn’t gotten any distinct answers, at least not about Areadbhar. 

Dimitri reached out for Prince Alexandre, but the moment that he touched the young boy’s coat the vision ceased to exist, leaving Dimitri in the dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so long, everyone! I got stuck in a spot for a while so I had to get out of my funk to resume writing. Although, it's here now! So everything's okay. 
> 
> I updating the tags last night so they should be a bit more accurate now. I did some editing in my outline the other day to make room for three chapters that'll be coming up soon. It doesn't have anything to do with the main plot, but it should hopefully flesh everyone out a bit more. Those chapters will also allow us to see a certain Golden Deer house leader. *wink wink*
> 
> As always, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I would love to hear your thoughts and feelings in the comments. Thank you so much for reading and I hope everyone had a happy holiday season. <3


	10. "The Journey Home"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth, Sylvain, and Dimitri begin their journey to the Alliance. Although, it seems as if Dimitri recognizes a familiar face along the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to apologize for this taking longer than I originally intended. I just had to finish up my first semester classes and projects before I could work on this. I do hope you enjoy it! As always, please let me know your thoughts and feelings in the comments! I love to read them :) Have a great day!

Sylvain, Dimitri, and Byleth had embarked from Fhirdiad for the border the following morning. Unfortunately, most of the journey would need to be done on foot in the middle of a Faerghus winter. The trio had wrapped up in all the clothes and coats they had and began their trek to the Alliance. Most of their excessive clothing could be shed once they reached further south, but for now, it was best if they avoided any minor inconveniences like frostbite or hypothermia.

Sylvain had made it clear that they should not discuss the events with Areadbhar until  _ after _ they crossed over into the Alliance. He didn’t say much other than that, but by the look on his face, Dimitri could guess that what he had to say was not positive. It wasn’t like Sylvain to be so serious, but Byleth had assured Dimitri that it’d be best to listen to him.

Sylvain had never been an angry person, at least not as long as Dimitri had known him. He was the type of person to make everyone laugh in a serious situation, so it was odd to see his brow furrowed at Areadbhar. Dimitri decided it’d be best to trust him for now, and not bring it up until they reached the Alliance. Although, he wasn’t so sure if it was for their safety or for Sylvain’s own good at this point.

The weapon was wrapped up safely in a bolt of fabric and had been strewn across Byleth’s back. It had been agreed that Dimitri shouldn’t touch it unless absolutely necessary, at least not until they were out of Faerghus. Having a weapon that seemed to move and breathe would definitely be a reason for the Empire to arrest them, and that was the  _ last  _ thing that needed to happen.

The journey had been unbearably silent for the most part, as it seemed that all three had told all their exciting stories back in Fhirdiad and had none left to spare for the journey. Sylvain had taken to pointing out interesting plants along the path, and the other two would guess what species they were. Although, it wasn’t like any of them  _ actually _ knew what type of plants they were pointing at, but it definitely passed the time to guess. It also seemed that Byleth much preferred to point out clouds and what they reminded her of. There was a rather square-shaped one that Dimitri said looked like the Capitol building back in Fhirdiad. Byleth had gone as far as to say a very vague and smeared cloud reminded her of Sylvain, the latter of the two disagreed and said it looked much more like her than it ever would resemble him.

Many days and nights had come and gone, and the journey had gotten quite repetitive. They would wake just before sunrise, walk until the sun was high in the sky, stop to rest for a few minutes, walk again until sunset, set up camp, sleep, and repeat. The trip wouldn’t have been nearly as strenuous as it had been if they had been traveling on horseback. However, horses were out of the question if they wanted to have enough money to cross into the Alliance. Byleth had already spent a large portion of the money from Dimitri’s pendant on the fake identification that they’d need to cross over into the Alliance, so she held onto what they had left very carefully. 

In about a week’s time, they had finally made it to the base of the mountains in what used to be Galatea territory. In order to make the cross into the Alliance, they’d need to be cleared on this side of the border and then follow a guide through the mountain pass. Byleth would’ve normally insisted that she guide them herself, but it seemed like the precaution of having a mandated guide was yet another mandatory extent of the tighter restraints on the Faerghus border.

The entry to the pass between the mountains was well stationed. A small stone building had been constructed to the side, where a line was forming outside. Many other travelers were apparently interested in crossing over to the Leicester Alliance. It seemed that paperwork was being checked in the building before allowing the migrating civilians to prepare for their guided passage.

Byleth stepped to the side of the path to get all the forged papers in order. She began to pull them one at a time out of her bag before handing them to who they corresponded to.

“Sylvain.” She placed an envelope in Sylvain’s outstretched hand. “Hold out your other hand.”

Once Sylvain had done as instructed, she placed another envelope about the same size in his newly exposed palm. 

“Those are mine. Do not drop them.” Sylvain gave a nod and rolled his eyes

“Sure thing, boss.” Byleth went back to digging through her bag until she pulled out a larger envelope and held it out for Dimitri to take.

“That should be everything, just remember that--” Byleth’s sentence was cut off quickly as Dimitri was shoved from behind. The man let out an “ _ oof!”  _ and was quickly caught by Sylvain before he fell forward into the snow. Byleth’s hand flew quickly to where she had concealed her dagger as she stepped in front of Dimitri. However, it seemed that her alarm was not needed.

“I am so sorry!” The voice came from a man who was juggling several luggage items, none of which seemed to be matching his own attire. “I wasn’t looking where I was going. I’m afraid I can’t see much over all these suitcases.” He gave a nervous laugh before he set down the luggage in the snow.

Byleth narrowed her eyes and removed her hand from her dagger, and the young man faltered slightly. However, he still seemed to retain his original friendly disposition. 

Dimitri straightened his posture and slowly turned around to face the newcomer.

The young man was significantly shorter than both Sylvain and Dimitri, and his hair was a distinct gray. His pale skin was coated in freckles, and his eyes a shade of green that Dimitri had only ever seen once before in his life.

They were the eyes of Ashe Ubert. The eyes of the boy that had been haunting Dimitri in his dreams. The same green from the vision that Dimitri had seen when he touched Areadbhar.

Dimitri froze. Ashe stared back at him and uncomfortable silence settled between the two of them. Dimitri wasn’t quite sure if his eyes were deceiving him or not. Was this the  _ real _ Ashe Ubert? The same boy from his youth?

_ “Alexandre?” _

Dimitri’s breath halted as Ashe’s green eyes widened. So he hadn’t just been making this all up.

“Is-- is that really you?” Ashe’s voice had lowered to a hush as he took a slight step forward. Dimitri wanted to step back in response, but something kept his feet planted. The sudden attention from the newcomer began to make him feel as if he was suffocating. What was one to say in situations like this?

When Dimitri didn’t respond to his question, Ashe shook his head and shifted away from Dimitri. “I apologize, you remind me of someone I once knew.”

Ashe turned to walk away, and Dimitri felt his gut tell him something. If this was really Ashe, the boy from Alexandre’s childhood, then he shouldn’t just let him go. _ Not that easily. _

_ “Ashe.” _

Ashe faced Dimitri once more and nodded slowly. The two young men stared solemnly at one another, mouths slightly agape at the realization that had just been made. One had thought the other to be dead, while one wasn’t sure if the other had been real all along. Not wasting another second, Ashe leaped forward and embraced Dimitri in a bone-crushing hug. 

“ _ I thought I had lost you.”  _ Ashe’s speech was muffled and it was evident that the young man was now crying.

Dimitri stood still for a moment, unsure of how to respond to such an action. It wasn’t like he had gotten many hugs before. Slowly, he melted from his frozen stupor and wrapped his arms around Ashe’s shoulders. 

The young man in front of him was once the little boy who loved to play make-belief. The same boy who had made up an entire realm for himself and his friends to play in. The same boy who jumped at the slightest sound, and the same boy who Alexandre had said goodbye to all those years. The same boy that didn’t know that would be the last time he saw his friend Alexandre.

“So did I.” Dimitri felt a single tear roll down the side of his cheek. He was partially surprised at his own emotion, especially due to the fact that the reason he was crying was a person that he had barely any recollection of knowing. However, even if he barely remembered who this young man was as Dimitri, he knew that he had once been precious to Alexandre, and that was enough for now.

The two stood there for what felt like minutes until slowly the two young men let go of one another. Ashe looked behind Dimitri and let out a small noise of surprise. 

“Oh! Who might your companions be?” He quickly wiped his eyes as he motioned towards Sylvain and Byleth who had barely moved a muscle since the interaction had begun. 

Byleth stood with a blank face as always, although her lips were slightly parted and her brow furrowed. Sylvain stood with his arms crossed and a small smile on his face. This one wasn’t the same kind of smile he displayed in the aftermath of a joke or when he flirted with a passerby, but a rare and genuine look of fondness that was few and far between. 

Dimitri cleared his throat and motioned towards Byleth first. 

“This is Byleth, she’s helped us get this far. She handled the money and the plan overall.” Ashe’s eyes flicked back and forth between Dimitri and Byleth before nodding. Sylvain feigned offense for a moment but then resumed his cheery disposition.

“This is Sylvain. He’s helped me learn what I’ve forgotten.” Sylvain gave a small wave to Ashe, and Dimitri noticed that he donned his normal smile when he did so.

“Forgotten?” Ashe asked as he tilted his head to the side.

“Dimitri has no recollection of his past.” Byleth had put it rather bluntly and crossed her arms in a manner that was far more hostile than Sylvain’s crossed arms had been. 

“Dimitri?” Ashe narrowed his eyes in confusion and turned to look at Dimitri. “Does this have anything to do with your eye?”

“I’m afraid I don’t recall much about our childhood.” Dimitri shook his head, “It wasn’t until recently that I began to recall smaller details and events.” Ashe slightly wilted at the notion.

“The first thing I remember is when I woke up at the orphanage. They had tended to my eye and gave me my name. I don’t remember much before that, not even what caused my injury in the first place.” Dimitri rubbed his chin in thought for a moment “However, recently I’ve begun to recall memories of us as boys. Particularly one occurrence of us playing knights in the halls of a castle.”

Ashe’s face lit up in a smile. “We would play for hours while our fathers would meet to discuss business. I do remember those days fondly.” He laughed slightly. “While I can’t say I’m not disappointed that you don’t remember much, I'm very happy to see you alive at least.”

“As am I.” Ashe broke his focus from Dimitri to face Sylvain and Byleth. “I apologize for not introducing myself earlier. My name is Ashe Ubert, and I’m a childhood friend of Dimitri’s.” He began to pick up his assorted belongings from the snow. “If I may ask, where are you three going?” 

“We’re leaving Faerghus for good!” Sylvain declared as he shoved his arms behind his head. “Off to the Alliance to meet the esteemed Lord. How about yourself?” Dimitri didn’t miss where Byleth gave Sylvain an elbow to the ribs, no doubt for sharing more details than she had intended.

“I’m leaving Faerghus myself.” For a moment it was clear that Ashe wanted to ask more questions about their plan, but he refrained from doing so. “I’ve been living in the Alliance for a while, ever since Lord Lonato and Christophe were killed, but I came back for my brother and sister. We’ve been keeping correspondence through letters until recently when I suggested that they leave the Kingdom. They never got the chance to leave as I did all those years ago. Neither of them is very experienced with traveling long distances or navigation, so I decided that it’d be better if I came and took them back with me.”

Byleth quickly looked around her and behind Ashe to see if any others had evaded her gaze. She wouldn’t have been surprised if a child had been tucked behind Ashe’s legs the entire conversation. “Where are they?” 

Ashe gave a sign and it was easy to see him slightly deflate, even when he was carrying all that luggage. “I sent them on ahead through the pass yesterday. I figured we’d be less likely to be stopped at the base of the mountain if all three of us weren’t together. It’s not something I would normally do, but I want their passage to be as painless as possible.” Ashe said.

Byleth gave a nod before motioning back to the line. “It’d be best if we got along before it gets any later. We don’t want to be moved to the next passage.” Byleth grabbed her papers from Sylvain’s hand, turned, and headed straight for the line, Sylvain not far behind.

She could still hear the excited chatter of the two childhood best friends as she got farther away.

_ “Why don’t you join us for the passage, Ashe? We’d love to have you along.” _

_ “I think I’ll gladly take you up on your offer, Prince Alexan-”  _ Ashe cut himself off quickly in embarrassment.

_ “You can call me Dimitri now. I understand that it’s different, but I still consider you my friend.” _

Byleth sighed and adjusted Areadbhar on her back.

“Does this mean what I think it means?” Sylvain asked in a hushed tone.

  
“That our fake prince isn’t a fake at all?  _ Exactly _ .”


	11. "We'll Go From There"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The crossing between the Faerghus and the Alliance was not as easy as originally planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this took me so long guys, I kept getting distracted by other projects whenever I tried to start this chapter. (Speaking of there are three new FE3H fics on my profile: two OC centered fics and one Ferdinand x reader) However, I do hope that the wait was worth it.
> 
> I'd also like to say this is about the point where the story begins to really differentiate from the original Anastasia. Maybe we'll see our favorite Alliance leader hmm?
> 
> Anyway, I hope you all enjoy it. Please consider leaving a comment with your thoughts and predictions because those are always super fun to read and much appreciated. :)

The once trio, and now a quartet, had begun their journey through the mountain pass. Dimitri and Ashe had taken the lead, walking side by side, with Sylvain and Byleth not far behind them. An unnerving silence had fallen in the minutes prior. All of those who were passing through the mountain were given specific orders to keep quiet. Any urgent sound might cause the snow from above to descend in an avalanche. 

Ashe and Dimitri had been whispering back and forth the majority of the journey, making sure to keep their voices low. Meanwhile, Byleth and Sylvain had been silent, Byleth occasionally mumbling something under her breath, or Sylvain humming a faint tune. There were a few other travelers in front of and behind the party that, for the most part, kept their volume to a minimum. There was the occasional child who would forget to speak softly, but they would be quickly hushed by their mother and the silence would return.

Ashe’s face hadn’t seemed to dim the entire time. Something joyous had returned to him even though his perilous journey to the Alliance was far from over. Dimitri appreciated the smile that Ashe wore, especially considering that it had been so long since he had seen it last.

“My brother and sister, they’ve grown so much.” He whispered. “It had been too terribly long since I saw them in person, so it was a pleasant surprise to see them doing so well.” Dimitri gave a nod and allowed Ashe to continue.

“Luca was so much taller than when I saw him last, and Violet was as sweet as ever. I’m not sure if you remember them any, especially since they barely accompanied Lord Lonato to Fhirdiad, but they will be very pleased to hear of you, I’m sure.” Ashe began to lead on into tales of his beloved brother and sister. A detail that Dimitri did not seem to recall was that Luca was the middle child and Violet was the youngest. It seemed that Ashe cared for them more than he could even begin to describe.

As excited as Dimitri was to hear from Ashe about his family and all his tales from his time in the Alliance, something seemed to pester him in the back of his mind. Although, even just the tiniest inkling of doubt could morph into a beast of his own destruction.

What if he  _ wasn’t  _ actually the long lost Prince Alexandre Blaiddyd?

Sure, he seemed to have quite a good bit of proof in the past few weeks, but something still made him question the validity of his own claim. Maybe he had recalled several memories that only the Prince could only have, but what if he was believing what he wanted to hear? Ashe clearly remembered him, that alone was reassuring, but again,  _ what if Ashe had mistaken him for someone else? _

Dimitri knew he had to stop himself from thinking this way, but at this point, it had almost become second nature. He had grown a habit to question the truth of his own knowledge, which might not have been out of the blue before, but now that he had proof and witnesses he knew that he shouldn’t be so skeptical.

Byleth, however, had known for a while that Dimitri was in fact the real prince. She had her suspicions ever since the incident with Areadbhar, but meeting Ashe had solidified her theories. Something had begun to bother her though, when in fact she should’ve been rejoicing. This was good for them, wasn’t it? This way Lord Fraldarius couldn’t accuse them of being frauds. This way, both she and Sylvain wouldn’t get arrested for conspiracy since they were right.

She gave a huff, tore her eyes away from Dimitri, and began to rewrap her hands. It seemed that she had been picking at the cloth that was wrapped around her knuckles ever since they departed from the base of the mountain. They had long since come loose, and it was high time for them to be refastened.

“You okay, Byleth?” Sylvain prompted.

“Why wouldn’t I be okay?” She didn’t remove her gaze from her hands, and it was clear that the speed with which she was wrapping her hands was increasing.

Sylvain shook his head. “You never wrap your hands that quickly, or that messily for that matter.  _ Something’s bothering you. _ ”

Byleth exhaled and quickly tied off the fabric around her hand. “No, nothing’s bothering me. Now, be quiet so we don’t get in trouble with the guide.” 

Sylvain raised a brow at his friend but heeded her wish to stay quiet. He could always ask her again once they crossed through the mountain pass. Plus, maybe then she would’ve had time to cool down from whatever was bothering her so much.

After about two hours of walking, the snow began to thin and the guide announced that they would be approaching the Alliance soon. Sylvain stretched his back and looked over to Byleth. However, instead of stretching or getting her belongings in order as he expected, she was staring at Dimitri who walked a few feet in front of her. Something clicked in Sylvain’s mind.

“Oh, I get it!” He joked, “You’re going to miss him when he’s-” Sylvain was quickly cut off by an elbow to the ribs. “Okay! I get it, I’ll stop.”

“No,” Byleth said. “Look.”

Sylvain stopped rubbing his side to look where Byleth had pointed moments prior. At the base of the mountain was another depot, similar to the one that they left hours prior. However, instead of there being a few guides and maybe officials, was a small division of Adrestian soldiers.

Sylvain quickly ducked his head. “ _ What are we supposed to do? _ ” He hissed.

“You and Dimitri need to stay in the back.” Byleth quickly unwrapped her scarf from around her neck and handed it to Sylvain. “Cover your hair.”

“Tell me why I would need to-” Sylvain caught a glance of his  _ very _ red hair. “Okay, maybe you’re right.” He wrapped the scarf around his neck quickly and pulled some of the fabric from the back forward to cover up his hair. 

Byleth walked forward and quickly grabbed Ashe and Dimitri by their sleeves. The two seemed rather caught off-guard, but they had also begun to connect the puzzle pieces in their heads. 

“Dimitri get behind me and stay with Sylvain.” Dimitri nodded and moved to do as Byleth ordered. “Ashe, stay with me.” Ashe looked hesitant to take orders so quickly, but after he saw Dimitri agree so quickly, he knew that Byleth was someone who he could trust to keep them all safe. He nodded quickly and fell into step at her side. Byleth had originally considered leaving Ashe here. He had never been part of the original plan, but something told her it would be best to bring him along. Not only would he be taken in for associating with them and possibly questioned, but he seemed to bring a faint smile to Dimitri that Byleth hadn’t seen often. She decided that it would be beneficial in the long run for Ashe to join them.

It was out of the question that the soldiers would be searching everyone at the border, so it was now the primary goal to get away before they had the chance to do so. Not only were they composed of three travelers suspected of conspiracy, but also three misplaced nobles that were very much supposed to be dead. The group of four slowly moved forward in the crowd of travelers and crossed their hearts that they wouldn’t be found. 

The guide slowed once they reached the depot and began to give instructions.

“Please form a single file line to the right. Once you reach the front of the line, please have your papers prepared to give to the officer.” Byleth dug their own forms out of her pockets and passed two of them back to Dimitri. Ashe took the clue and gathered his own. “After you’ve been cleared for entry, take the path to the left and answer any questions that the officers may have. Thank you all, and welcome to the Alliance!” The guide ran for the inside of the depot as soon as he finished his sentence, and it made you wonder how much of this he had known about beforehand.

One by one, the line began to shorten as the travelers filtered through the officers. Some were allowed passage to the next official, while others were already being escorted back through the mountain pass.

Byleth led the quartet through the line silently, and the others couldn’t help but wonder what exactly she was doing. However, Sylvain, Dimitri, and now Ashe knew that she had a plan that would be worth following. 

Once they reached the front of the line, they all held their breath. Byleth gave her papers to the Imperial soldier and he began to sift through them all without looking up.

“Mariah Toussaint. Traveling alone?” He asked. Byleth shook her head.

“I’m accompanied by my fiance and my two cousins.” The man spared a small glance at Byleth but didn’t take time to access everyone in the party's faces. 

“Let’s see their identification as well.”

Byleth turned around to take everyone else’s papers from their hands, and in the split second that she had her back turned to the officer, she mouthed a few words. “ _ Be ready to run.” _ Her eyes flitted over to her left, and the three young men knew exactly where they were heading in the moments to follow. 

Byleth glanced down at Ashe’s papers and was relieved to see that they did not bear his real name. She held the stack of fake identification out to the officer, who began to read and filter through the documents. As soon as he was focused on reading the details, Byleth began to run. The three young men took off after her, being sure not to waste a second. The commotion they left behind could be heard as they ran away.

“Hey! After those four!” The clattering of armor could be heard as the soldiers scrambled to catch up after Sylvain, Dimitri, Ashe, and Byleth. However, the party of four was much lighter on their feet in contrast as they were wearing cloaks at the most.

“How far do we need to run?” Sylvain yelled from the back of the group as they entered the forest.

“Just far enough inside the Alliance borders. That way the Empire can’t decide in what way they want to execute us.” She said it casually, but one could imagine Ashe swallowing nervously.

Everyone stayed silent in agreement and kept running as fast as they could. There hadn’t been many soldiers to begin with, so they surely couldn’t send them all after the quartet if they wanted to retain their hold on the border. No matter who was chasing them or how far away they were, Dimitri knew he had one foot into the figurative grave called freedom.

Sylvain caught up to where Byleth had been running up ahead. “Your fiance, eh?”

_ “I wasn’t talking about you.” _


	12. "Still"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edelgard von Hresvelg vows to follow her duty to her people, even if it is the last thing she'll ever do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was NOT intending on posting this chapter so soon after the last one, but I just felt very motivated and inspired to write this one. Dare I say it, I think it may be the most beautifully written chapter thus far. Even if you aren't a fan of the empire chapters (which this is the last one for a VERY long time) I hope you enjoy this one.
> 
> Thank you all so much for reading, and I hope you enjoy!

The garden stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the rest of New Enbarr. Full of bright greenery and a large number of flowers, it was almost as if it had been uprooted from Adrestia itself and planted in the snowy landscape of Faerghus. Patches of pitcher plant, sunflowers, and carnations were all encompassed under an angled glass roof of a greenhouse.

A few butterflies flitted about the warmed conservatory, resting on the occasional petal or stem. They were species that Edelgard had never seen occur naturally in New Enbarr. At least not while it had been snowing. The monarch, the painted lady, and the red admiral were all particularly eye-catching, and it almost felt like a crime to keep them there away from prying eyes. 

However, as much as Edelgard longed to free the insects from the glass cage that they called home, she knew that surviving would give them great difficulty. The weather was the specific challenge she had in mind. It had been snowing for two-days time, and it hadn’t stopped. She could imagine them being taken down by the large snowflakes that fell from the sky or even freezing as soon as they came in contact with the winter air.

Edelgard had decided that she hated this time of year, and not just because the butterflies were its prey. Winter had always seemed to be a nasty beast, even back in Adrestia. Back home it hadn’t snowed as often or wasn’t as dangerous as it was in Faerghus, but the cold air seemed to irritate every last nerve she had left in her body. Back home the butterflies would disappear for a month or so once it got too cold, and a young Edelgard would find herself missing their presence. They would return come springtime, but their absence still proved to be unnerving.

Here in Faerghus winter was no longer a minor inconvenience, but an enemy to be fought. Snow piled up around the doors of Ionius Hall and sometimes prohibited soldiers and officials from leaving. The cold air had left Edelgard’s skin dry and her lips chapped, and no amount of heat could seem to mend her cracked skin. 

The citizen’s of New Enbarr had their own beasts of winter to fight, it seemed. They would huddle together, wrapped tightly in layers of hand-me-down clothes, and sit around a small fire that they had constructed with whatever scraps they could find. As reigning governor of the city, Edelgard had opened up several soup kitchens and supply stations, but it seemed that not everyone was brave enough to take advantage of them. Many citizens still looked toward anything the Empire had to offer with fear in their eyes. The same fear that Dimitri and countless other citizens held as they looked upon her. Edelgard was not proud of that fact, but it was now her own beast of winter that she had to face. Perhaps, come springtime, once all the snow began to melt, they might accept her help and outstretched hand. Perhaps.

Edelgard heaved a sigh, only to be startled that there was no visible cloud. Her mind was far too used to the winter. No matter how many times she came to the greenhouse and tried to recall her homeland, she could not help but be reminded of the harsh duty that she must fulfill.

Edelgard snuck her hand inside her coat pocket and wound her hand around a folded piece of paper. It was a pristine white paper, its only imperfection being the black ink upon it. She delicately pulled it from her coat and unfolded it to read it once more. Although she wasn’t quite sure why she did so, because no matter how many times over she read it, it would not change the contents that lie within.

Writing to her father about Dimitri had been a mistake, that much Edelgard had already decided. Any tales of him should have remained with Hubert and Hubert alone. The letter in question was full of every detail she could recall about Dimitri. What he looked like, when she first met him, and how he seemed to be reappearing at the most inopportune moments. Especially how he was technically a suspect of one of the largest conspiracies that New Enbarr had seen in its very few years. She had been seeking advice from her father on how to rid Dimitri from her mind, and instead, focus on governing New Enbarr. However, her father seemed rather intrigued by the young man that Edelgard spoke of, especially in his most recent letter.

Emperor Ionius had gone on about how rumors of the Blaiddyd’s were dangerous to New Enbarr, especially since it was still in its infancy. How one measly reminder of the old ways might lead to the destruction of all that they had worked to create. The destruction of Edelgard’s precious city and her precious people. He assured her that Dimitri was simply a false idol, someone who aimed to give distorted hope to people who were now safer than they had ever been before under the old rule. 

Then he said something in his letter that _almost_ seemed out of character.

That Edelgard was to _eradicate_ Dimitri, even if she was to do it with her own two hands.

For one small spark of hope was enough to burn everything that she had worked for.

And the life of one young man was not worth more than the tens of thousands that lived in Faerghus.

Edelgard read the letter twice more in the greenhouse, still unable to comprehend her orders. The death of Dimitri was something that she could not exactly wrap her mind around. Dimitri had always been a survivor, that was evident from the start. He would fight tooth and nail to live even if he lacked anything to return home to. For him to die, especially of unnatural causes, would almost be a crime against nature. 

It would also be a crime in Edelgard’s own heart.

If she was to kill Dimitri, then she was to have gone against everything that she ever stood for. She would have gone against her very own people. The very same people that she fought to feed and keep warm. Dimitri had always been a part of her people, and even later became the face of them in her own mind.

No matter how many times she had been told of his conspiracy or his fraud, Edelgard could not separate Dimitri from the frightened young man in the snow that morning. He was so afraid and fearful of everything around him, and yet he allowed Edelgard to speak with him. One of the first citizens that she had held a conversation with, without them screaming in her face or their eyes welling up with tears. And somehow, Edelgard hoped that Dimitri’s own compassion would be the key to unlocking the trust of the rest of New Enbarr.

Edelgard tore her eyes away from the letter and stared off at one of the butterflies. This one in particular was a monarch. She recalled many fond memories of monarch butterflies in her youth. Most of them were in the Adrestian palace’s greenhouse, for she was not allowed outside without many adults and soldiers. They would flutter about in a similar way, seemingly in their own world, which was something that brought solace to a young Edelgard.

This butterfly did much of the same. It bobbed up and down and flapped its orange wings. It danced around the room until it began to approach Edelgard. Lastly, it landed on the bridge of her nose. Edelgard gave a slight gasp but then slowed her breathing so as to not scare the creature away. She longed to sneeze or exhale as the insect’s legs tickled her nose, but she refused to spook the beauty. This scene almost reminded her of herself, from long long ago. If she was younger and her mind not encompassed by thoughts or morality, she might’ve laughed or smiled. That was what she would’ve done if she was still a child back in the royal Adrestian greenhouses. The butterfly flexed its beautiful wings, each one inscribed with the most detail before it took off again.

The butterfly then landed on a plant, and if Edelgard hadn’t been so focused on the butterfly and the solace it brought, she would’ve recognized that it was a venus fly-trap. Once her brain registered the plant, she quickly rushed towards it, but it was already too late. The plant had already closed its jaws around the orange monarch.

Edelgard deflated at the sight, and only then realized that her hands were now crushing the white letter that she had been reading moments ago. She slowly let go of the paper and wrung out the palms of her hands on her pants. Edelgard turned away from the venus fly-trap and slid the crumpled paper back into the pocket from which it had originated.

At that moment, Edelgard made a grave decision.

If all of New Enbarr was to survive and she was to be a good leader, then Dimitri was to be destroyed. For the life of one man who reminded Edelgard of what she stood for was not worth the lives of all those who he represented.

Dimitri was a _traitor_ to his own people. Yes, that was exactly what he was. Someone who put his own selfish desire for money, fame, and glory above the needs of his fellow common man. He was a villain that stood in the way of the New World. Someone who aimed to destroy New Enbarr and all the work that had been put into the city to get it this far.

Edelgard knew that she was to follow her orders no matter what. That she was to put her life on the line if it meant the safety of her city and its people. She might not have been the leader the people would have wanted, but she was what they had for the time being. It was not only her duty but also her will, to protect them.

Edelgard von Hresvelg was to put aside her selfish desire to protect the young man that she had met outside Ionius Hall. She was to refute her emotions and remember that this man was not her first friend amongst the people, but her enemy, poised to take down her city and people in one fell swoop.

At that moment, Edelgard von Hresvelg decided that it was now her duty to kill Dimitri, even if it was the last thing she ever did.


	13. "The Outlaw"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Dimitri, Sylvain, Byleth, and Ashe flee the grasp of the Empire, they encounter another foe. This one is far smarter than the last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was kinda afraid this chapter turned out bad, but then I went back and read it again and I enjoyed it more the second time. I hope you all can enjoy it too!
> 
> Please let me know your thoughts in the comments! :) Thanks for reading!

The quartet had stopped running as soon as the forest had become dense. The trees hadn’t been easy to navigate for those in heavy armor, and even the rangers wearing more light gear had trouble keeping track of them through the trees.

Ashe was thankful, for he had begun to run out of breath just as the trees began to thicken. Although he had been in the front with Byleth initially, he had fallen behind the others just a bit. Dimitri quickly passed him and took his spot at Byleth’s side, leaving Ashe behind Sylvain in the rear. Sylvain was rather quick for that matter as well, but Ashe assumed that he was slowly himself down so Ashe wouldn’t be left in the rear completely alone. 

It had been assumed that everyone was to remain silent, at least until nightfall. The paranoia that some Imperial soldiers could be lurking within the treeline had yet to disappear, even though it had been at least an hour since they had last seen anyone outside of their own party. Byleth had always seemed to be a “better safe than sorry” kind of person to begin with. So Ashe kept quiet, carefully watching where he stepped.

“How much farther till we reach Riegan territory?” Sylvain asked, being the first to utter a word since Byleth had ordered them to run.

Byleth gave a shrug. “The path is curved around the forest. Cutting through it should still lead us directly to where we need to go.” Dimitri gave a nod immediately after she finished speaking, but Ashe couldn’t help but feel as if he was missing something.

“If you don’t mind me asking, I’m due to meet Luca and Violet in Daphnel territory, so where exactly should we part ways?” Ashe didn’t like the ideas of parting with his new companions this soon. He and Dimitri had  _ just  _ reunited, and he had barely gotten to learn anything about Sylvain and Byleth. Not to mention, he was very unsure of traveling on his own now that the Empire probably knew his face. Still, he could not let his own desire for companionship and pleasantries get in the way of Luca and Violet’s safety, no matter how much he longed for normalcy.

Dimitri cast his eyes towards the ground as they continued walking, and Ashe couldn’t help but do the same. It felt wrong to leave Dimitri now when they had just now found each other again. When there was so much more to tell and to know about the other. Ashe wanted to spend more time telling him stories of Luca and Violet and how they had grown and learned since they last saw each other. Of the places that Ashe had seen, and the stories he had written down. Still, Ashe knew it would be pointless to stay behind with Dimitri and his friends if he never saw Luca and Violet again. If there were no more Luca and Violet, then there would be no more stories of them to share.

Sylvain spoke this time. “I don’t have a map of the Alliance or anything, but we should still be in Daphnel. It’s not too far to redirect your path to central Daphnel.” Ashe considered for a moment. As he thought, he quickened his pace to match Byleth’s.

Suddenly, a loud yelp could be heard from behind him. Ashe spun around to see Sylvain strung up by a rope around his ankle. He was flailing back and forth, reaching for his foot, but always falling short of grabbing the rope.

“Hold still.” Byleth ordered as she pulled her dagger from her waist, “The rest of you stay--” Byleth was quickly interrupted by her own yell as she too was strung up by a rope on the ground.

“What do I do?” Dimitri asked, clearly trying to hide his obvious panic. Although, Ashe couldn’t say he was any calmer himself.

“They’re probably just some snares for some wild game, nothing to worry about,” Byleth assured them. “Now, Dimitri. Pick my dagger up and bring it here.”

Dimitri nodded and quickly went to follow her instructions. “Tread lightly, Dima.” Sylvain cautioned. Dimitri did as he was told, slowly picking up Byleth’s knife and then walking forward on the balls of his feet. Ashe stood and watched, afraid of moving a muscle himself.

However, no matter how much he had been warned to walk slowly, Dimitri’s stealthy movement could not correct his error of foot placement. As Dimitri approached Byleth slowly, he made the error of stepping directly into another rope trap. He let out a yelp as he was heaved towards the treetop, and began to squirm.

Byleth sighed and ran a hand down her face. “Ashe. Bring me my dagger. And bring me by dagger  _ slowly _ .  _ Please _ , watch where you step.”

  
  


“Okay.” Ashe took a deep breath. “Now, where did it go?” He made sure not to move a muscle as he studied the ground. Byleth’s dagger was hidden somewhere amongst the leaves and it was his job to find it. After looking for a few moments, he saw a slight glint through the leaves.

“ _ Behind you!”  _ Sylvain hissed.

“What?” Ashe looked up at him and shook his head, “The dagger is on the ground in front of me.”

“ _ No _ !” Byleth yelled. “Behind you!”

Ashe turned around quickly to be fast approached by a man in a large overcoat and leather armor. The man was fast, too fast in fact. Ashe might’ve stood a chance if he had been moving first, but even then he considered himself rather rusty when it came to fighting close combat. 

Instead of attacking Ashe, the man quickly pulled a bag over his head and threw him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Ashe began to kick and scream but it seemed futile, the man who had captured him was rather strong.

Ashe might not have been able to see anything with the bag over his head, but he could still hear.

“C’mon, Hilda. You said there were five traps out here!” Ashe’s captor said.

“There were  _ supposed _ to be five! There were five when Bernie and I came out here last.” A feminine voice spoke up from behind Ashe. Although, he couldn’t exactly tell who was speaking or where from.

“Sure, sure. Just keep an eye out next time.”

“Hey! You three!” Byleth was speaking now, and by the sound of it, she was not pleased. “Care to explain what’s all this?”

“No can do!” Ashe’s captor laughed. “We’re not supposed to do anything until the boss gets here.”

“The boss?” Sylvain asked.

“Yep, the big man in charge. My best friend and our leader. He always knows what to do.” It seemed as though this man was rather talkative, even for someone who wasn’t supposed to share any details.

“Can you at least let our friend down?” Asked Dimitri, which was a relief to Ashe. “He won’t run away, we can promise that.”

The man sighed. “Fine.” He dropped Ashe off of his shoulder and quickly restrained him by his arms. Ashe shook the bag from his head and looked around to access the situation.

All three of his companions were still strung up by their feet in the trees, faces reddening by the minute. Ashe careened to see the man who apprehended him, but could barely make out anything about him other than his bright blue hair and eyes. There were two women accompanying him. One of them taller than the other and sporting bright pink hair, while the shorter of the two had purple hair and an obvious nervous disposition. Which one was Hilda, Ashe was unsure of.

“Boss should be here any second and then we can let you guys down!” Was Ashe mistaken, or was his captor smiling? It clearly wasn’t sinister by the sound of his voice. That and what little bit of the smile that Ashe could see wasn’t anywhere close to a sneer.

“Well, could your ‘boss’ hurry it along?” Sylvain asked as he began to squirm again, “All my blood is starting to rush to my head.”

“Hold your horses.” It was now clear that Hilda was the taller girl with pink hair. “Claude’ll be here soon and then we can move this along.” She glanced down at her nails as if she was bored and had a million other places to be. Ashe might’ve thought that she clashed greatly with the environment that they were in if it wasn’t for the large battle axe at her hip.

“ _ Claude _ could learn to be a little bit more courteous to those he catches in his traps,” Byleth mumbled. A rustling of leaves could be heard and Ashe looked towards the source of the sound.

“ _ You called for me? _ ” 

The man who had appeared seemingly out of nowhere was taller than all of his companions. He had dark hair and green eyes and wore a yellow ensemble that surely didn’t work well as camouflage. This must’ve been Claude. Ashe could tell by the way the man carried himself that he was their leader. He stood tall with a casual expression on his face, looking very unconcerned overall. Followers often performed better when their leader was relaxed. Ashe had learned that much by just being with Dimitri and his friends for barely a day. Ashe himself felt out of danger whenever Byleth remained calm, even if she wasn’t exactly an official leader. He assumed the same could be said for Claude and whoever these others were.

“Yes, we called for you. Now would you do us the honor of cutting us down?” Sylvain said as he spun in circles from where he was hanging.

Claude hummed slightly and tilted his head to the side. “I dunno?”

“We didn’t see any Empire insignias or emblems.” The quiet one with purple hair whispered, “I think they’re clear.”

“And they didn’t have much on them either--or what fell down anyway.” Hilda continued, “She had the dagger and the redhead had a javelin of some kind. The other two weren’t carrying any weapons.” She shrugged. They must’ve searched through their belongings when Ashe couldn’t see. “Oh, and whatever  _ this _ was. Bernie found it on the ground after the lady got caught up.” Hilda nodded towards the girl beside her who was carrying a large rectangular package wrapped in brown paper.

It was the package that Byleth had been carrying on her back the entire trip. She had refused to let anyone else carry it for her too. Whatever it was was clearly very important. The idea that it was the hands of some common thieves even made Ashe nervous, and he hadn’t the fainted idea what was hidden within the paper.

“Oh? Now, what’s this?” Claude had begun to meander over to the package and Ashe could feel Byleth glaring daggers at him without even needing to look in her direction. 

“Stop!” Dimitri raised his voice for the first time since he and Ashe had reunited and reached out towards the package. “Please, don’t touch it. I beg of you.” Dimitri sounded almost desperate, and the thought of whatever was inside that package meaning so much to him startled Ashe. 

Claude froze, his arm outstretched towards the package in Bernie’s arms. He didn’t bother turning his head, but Ashe could see his eyes glancing at Dimitri.

Claude sighed and allowed his arm to fall to his side. He laughed and began walking towards Dimitri. “You four clearly aren’t who we were aiming to catch in the first place. So, I’ll make you a deal.” 

“We have a  _ little  _ something that we need to steal. We could always do it by ourselves, but it’d be quicker with nine instead of five.” Claude cocked his head to the side as he shifted his glance to Byleth, “You help us steal it, and we’ll give you back your precious package.” He smiled and waited for someone to say anything.

Ashe looked to Byleth and it seemed as though their entire party did the same. The three that were hung from their heels silently swayed back and forth as Byleth contemplated their options. Byleth sat silent for a moment, her brow furrowed on her red face. She had been fairly predictable thus far, so Ashe wasn’t quite sure what she’d say, even if they did only have one option if they wanted the parcel back.

Byleth sighed and held out her upside-down hand for Claude to shake. “Fine. But I want it back untouched.” 

Claude’s smirk spread from ear to ear. “Excellent.” He gave Byleth’s hand a shake. “Bernie, if you’d do the honors?” He turned to speak to the girl with purple hair, who quickly drew her bow with great speed. All in rapid succession, she shot three arrows, all perfectly aimed at the top portion of the traps that hung amongst the trees.

One after the other, Sylvain, Dimitri, and Byleth all fell to the ground. Dimitri was quick to pull off his restraints and rise to his feet, although it was clear that all the blood rushing back to his feet was not a pleasant feeling. Byleth stood up slowly and sheathed her dagger that had fallen to the ground so long ago. Ashe had been let go by the man who restrained him, and he was stretching his sore limbs too. Sylvain sat on the ground, rubbing his head as he spoke. “Earlier, you said there were five of you, but I only see four.”

Claude shrugged his shoulders, “The last member of our team will be on her way shortly, but for the time being I should reintroduce myself.” 

“The name’s Claude, ‘The Bandit King’ as some call me. Although what we do is more than petty thievery.” Ashe noted how he spoke with his hands. “You’ve already met my men, I’m sure.” Hilda gave a dainty wave and Bernie hid behind the parcel that was still in her arms.

The man who restrained Ashe was another ordeal. “I’m Caspar! Our resident brawling champion, and pleased to meet you!” He held out his hand for Ashe to shake, all but forgetting that this was the same young man that he had been holding hostage only moments ago. Ashe reluctantly reached out to shake his hand.

“I’m Ashe.” As much as he tried to be stoic and silent as the other three were doing, it was all but impossible with Caspar’s passionate disposition. However, it seemed as if Byleth was having none of the pleasantries.

“I’m Byleth, that’s Dimitri and Sylvain. Now, what are we stealing?” She brushed off her pants and went to stand directly in front of Claude, all while the others slowly followed her.

“No need to rush ourselves, By.” Byleth flinched, “That’ll all come in due time. Now, if you’ll follow me.” Claude spun on his heel and began walking in the direction that he had come from.

However, someone else entered the pathway just as they were about to leave.

“Oh, Claude! I do apologize for taking so long. I wanted to make sure no one had left anything behind.” The woman who spoke clearly did not belong in the forest alongside these bandits. Her clothes were neutral tones and all trimmed with lace and ribbon. Her pale face was rosy, and there was not a hair out of place. “Who are your friends?”

“Mercedes, I’d like to introduce you to the lovely uh- mercenaries that agreed to help us tomorrow.” It was clear that Claude wasn’t quite sure how to describe them to Mercedes, and that alone made Ashe wonder what kind of person Mercedes was. She was obviously very kind and put-together, but she clearly didn’t belong with Claude’s men. What exactly she was doing here was a mystery for another day.

“It’s an honor to meet you all.” She smiled. 

It was silent for a moment, but Ashe swore he could hear Byleth hissing at Sylvain.

_ “Don’t you dare think about it.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Claude, Hilda, Caspar, Bernadetta, and Mercedes have joined the party! I promise that they would be here soon, and here they are! They're an odd bunch to stick together, but they felt like just the right kind of haphazard for a bandit group. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please consider leaving a comment with your thoughts and comments, because they're always super fun to read and I enjoy them greatly. Thank you all so much for reading!


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